Reviews by Friends of busycharles

john12 says "This is the best Leapfrog Computer Toy." about Leapfrog Clickstart My First Computer

john12 — Sun, 03 Jan 2010 21:30:55 GMT

Best Leapfrog Toys

New Leapfrog Educational Toys

Leapfrog have been creating great educational toy that are fun and entertaining for years. Tapping into children natural desire to learn new skills and explore the world around them. Now, Leapfrog has intoduced a new range. the New leapfrog Toys exploit our kids' natural desire to emulate the adults around them. Based on computers, blackberries, pads and other modern tools our children just love to play with, the New Range, of Leapfrog Toy mean you get your personal technology back into safe adult hands, whilst the children can expand their skill and knowledge with something a little more user friendly for those toys with sticky fingers and a tendency to drop things! The Range of leapfrog PDA tools are wide, offering entertainment and educate for all age ranges. It's build in durable curved designs ideals. for small hands to hold. Cute characters, funny graphic and childlike audio give these educational real kid appeal whilst satisfying their...

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BayouBengal says "Beyond BodiHeat Delivers Heat to Sore & Aching Areas for Relief" about Beyond BodiHeat Heat Pad

BayouBengal — Sun, 03 Jan 2010 17:42:21 GMT

When it comes to aches and pains, I have my fair share having both Fibromayalgia and arthritis. I've learned to live with both and the pain that they bring. I have several prescriptions for pain relief, but I prefer to deal with the pain in other ways if at all possible. Beyond BodiHeat Heat Pads have proven to be one of the products that I can count on for non-prescription relief from aches and pains.

Beyond BodiHeat Heat Pads

Beyond BodiHeat Heat Pads come in various size packages. I picked up the 4 pack which had a bonus pad inside. They were also on Rite Aids rebate list for the month of November so this was a pretty good deal with a discount and also an extra pad! The 4 pack normally retails for around $8.99 a package.

Beyond BodiHeat Heat Pads claim to sooth and comfort sore muscles and also relieve pain in backs and joints. The pads have an adhesive backing which attaches to clothing so you can adjust the pad for the exact area that needs the warmth and pain relief....

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TheBard says "Quality Costs and These Headphones Are Worth the Price" about Sony MDR-V6 Professional Headphones

TheBard — Sun, 03 Jan 2010 14:03:34 GMT

Bottom-Line: I am very pleased with my new Sony MDR-V6 Professional Stereo Headphones, so much so that I might just purchase a set for work.

From the Manufacturer: The Sony MDR-7506 Professional Large Diaphragm Headphone is a large diaphragm foldable headphone designed for professional studio and live/broadcast applications. These large diaphragm, foldable headphones feature a rugged construction, a secure, highly effective closed-ear design, and a 40 millimeter driver unit for clean, clear sound reproduction. The closed-ear design provides both comfort and outstanding reduction of external noises. The included Stereo UniMatch plug allows use in both 1/4-inch and 1/8-inch applications. A soft case for protective storage is included with the headphones.

My Viewpoint

I am very pleased with Sony MDR-V6 Professional Stereo Headphones. They have met all of my criteria nicely; they cost under $100.00 ($70.95 at Buy.com); they are light weight, and; they reproduce sound across the entire musical...

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BayouBengal says "Graveyardmall.com is a Great Online Site for Bargains" about Graveyard Mall

BayouBengal — Sun, 03 Jan 2010 01:45:58 GMT

It has been some time since I ordered anything from www.graveyardmall.com and today I decided to visit the site to see what they had to offer. I was surprised to see many high end items for the kitchen and also name brand lighting fixtures added to the site since I last visited. All of these items will be of interest as we start to remodel our house we moved out of last year. And yes, the project is way behind with my dad's illness.

Graveyardmall.com

In case you don't know www.graveyardmall.com is a discount online store that sells closeouts and other discontinued items. You can find some hard to find items here and some good buys. There are other deals that just make you want to say, "that is junk!" So visit the site with an open mind.

I've always enjoyed surfing the site to see what is available. Stock changes often, sometimes even daily. If you see something you want, you should buy it NOW.

The site is easy to navigate and the pages load quickly. All items are shown with...

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dmlichnerowicz says "Get your aggression out with a Terry's Chocolate Orange!" about Terry's - Chocolate Orange - Dark

dmlichnerowicz — Sat, 02 Jan 2010 21:05:31 GMT

Wanna smash something? Get yourself a Terry's Chocolate Orange! Available in milk chocolate, dark chocolate, and toffee, this ball of chocolate, typically available around the holiday season, requires a solid whack on your counter before you open it. Don't be a sissy...give it a good thump!

Every piece of "fruit" comes wrapped in orange foil to look like the real deal. This chocolate orange is a good quality dark candy flavored with orange oil, and is divided into 20 orange segments, much like the real fruit, each with the Terry's emblem and pulp design pressed into every piece. The whacking process is what breaks each piece apart. If you just tap it gently, you'll still have a solid ball of chocolate that's much more difficult to eat. The taste is excellent...just the right amount of orange flavor to delicious rich dark chocolate, best eaten by allowing the chocolate to melt in your mouth rather than being chewed like a candy bar.

Terry's Chocolate Oranges, especially in...

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dmlichnerowicz says "It's not coffeehouse quality, but it saves me a TON of money!" about Mr. Coffee Steam Espresso and Cappuccino Maker - ECM91

dmlichnerowicz — Sat, 02 Jan 2010 20:26:21 GMT

My sweet husband bought me a Mr. Coffee Steam Espresso and Cappuccino Makerfor Christmas this year. This inexpensive (around $30 at Walmart) espresso/cappuccino maker is designed to make 2-4 shots of espresso and has the steam foaming attachment for frothing milk for speciality beverages. The model is black with stainless-steel look accents, and it comes with everything you need except a frothing pitcher. The carafe is glass, and a coffee scoop is included.

What I like about it: First of all, the directions are very clear and easy to understand. It makes a good strong cup of espresso. It takes a minute to start brewing, but once it does, the coffee is ready really fast, so if you're foaming milk, you need to be ready to go as soon as the coffee starts dripping into the carafe. The lid seals tightly, and no steam comes out of the top (which was a HUGE safety hazard in a different brand I used to own). I wash everything in the dishwasher, including the removable drip tray, and...

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AlabasterBeauty says "Double the volume? More like triple the GREASE!" about Garnier Fructis XXL Volume Weightless Gel

AlabasterBeauty — Sat, 02 Jan 2010 17:11:16 GMT

This product in a nutshell: just does not deliver! I am not a huge fan of hair gels...I'm more of a styling cream or mousse type of gal. But Garnier Fructis styling products on the whole, really impress me. I am constantly on the prowl for volumizing hair care products and figured I'd give this one a shot.

Garnier Fructis XXL Volume Weightless Gel comes in a 6.8 Oz green tube with a flip-top lid. I totally dig the smell of Garnier Fructis products. They smell so citrusy and clean! Love it! The consistency of this gel is extremely thick, so I squeezed a small dollop into my hands before working it into my wet hair. To maximize body and fullness, I blew my hair dry upside down and used a round brush at key parts of my scalp. There were a few areas of hair that still looked damp. Well, that wasn't wet hair - that was greasy hair! Low and behold, my locks did not even look like they were freshly washed. In fact, I'd say that my hair looked better dirty then after the...

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Matt says "The Four Seasons in Costa Rica is serene and beautiful" about Four Seasons Costa Rica

Matt — Sat, 02 Jan 2010 03:20:12 GMT

Our extended family of 14 people recently went to the Four Seasons in Costa Rica over the Thanksgiving holiday. We had a fantastic time. I would highly recommend this Four Seasons to anyone looking for a fun and adventurous luxury resort.

The Setting
The Four Seasons Costa Rica is set at the end of a Peninsula about an hours drive away from the Liberia airport. The best word to describe the surrounding area is lush and green. The first day we got there is was really hot and muggy but it quickly got better. But make not mistake it is hot in Costa Rica in November. The lobby of the hotel is pure Four Seasons. Modern, clean, sleek and calming. Immediately on the other side of the lobby there are the restaurants and pools. To the right and left there is an ocean beach on one side of the resort and a very short three minute walk up a small hill and around the pool, there is a beach on the bay. We went swimming on both sides with the kids. The waves are not overly strong. ...

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dmlichnerowicz says "Carry bottles almost anywhere with Gund Baby" about Gund Baby Single Bottle Bag

dmlichnerowicz — Sat, 02 Jan 2010 03:10:02 GMT

I purchased the Gund baby Single Bottle Bag for $2.00 at T.J. Maxx. Online, it sells for $10.50, so I got a great deal. The bottle bag comes in a sturdy sage green fabric with complementary striped fabric at the top and a cute little baby carriage emblem. It cinches at the top with a drawstring and clasp. Inside, the vinyl lining keeps bottles cool and can be wiped clean with a wet cloth. The strap has a Velcro attachment so it can be attached to diaper bags or strollers for easy tote-along and keeping hands free for the baby.

My take: I really love this bag! The blue-striped fabric on the "boy" version is gender-neutral, and I think the shade is much prettier than the pink version. The cloth is sturdy, and the whole bag is really well-made. My only issue is that the top doesn't cinch shut as tightly as I would like, so if you plan on long outings in warm weather, keep your bottle in more than just this bag to be safe. It is easy to clean and doesn't wrinkle, so...

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dmlichnerowicz says "Keeps the binkies and my sanity together!" about Gund Baby Pacifier Pod

dmlichnerowicz — Sat, 02 Jan 2010 02:49:28 GMT

Keeping things organized and clean is a huge priority for me. Often sitting for a little one, I go nuts trying to keep track of her pacifiers and then, once I find them, worrying about what kind of bacteria is crawling all over them! Enter the Gund Baby Pacifier Pod! Made of sturdy fabric in a sage and blue vine pattern with matching sage green edging, this pod holds 2-3 binkies. The inside is made of white vinyl for easy wipe-clean maintenance. The Velcro tabs make it easy to attach the pod to belts, strollers, car seats, my purse straps, or any other place that I'll actually remember to check when I need a pacifier.

I purchased the pod for $3.00 at T.J. Maxx, and it was regularly priced at $5.99. Either way, it's worth its weight in gold. I have no problem keeping two bulky or three small pacifiers in the pod, and it really is easy to keep clean just by wiping the inside out with a washcloth. The Velcro is holding up well...as is my sanity! I love the colors of the fabric,...

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Matt says "The Ritz Carlton Maui is near perfect for families" about Ritz Carlton Maui - Kapalua, HI

Matt — Fri, 01 Jan 2010 23:35:29 GMT

I am writing this review from the porch of our 1 bedroom unit at the Ritz Carlton Maui. Although I will go into more detail later in the review, let me lead by saying we have been here for 7 days and the time has flown by. The weather has been near perfect, the natural beauty of Maui breathtaking and the grounds of the hotel have been great for three boys who love to run around. Although I will be critical of the Ritz at times during this review, all in all we have had an amazing vacation that compared favorably to many other five star resorts we have stayed at.

Basis of comparison
As a point of comparison we recently stayed at the Four Seasons Costa Rica and are regulars at Esperanza in Los Cabos. I would consider the Ritz Carlton to be a peer hotel of these other five star beach resorts.

My wife and I first stayed at the Ritz Carlton Maui fifteen years ago when it first opened. We fell in love with it then, and then last year when we were staying in a house in nearby Kanapali...

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BayouBengal says "ProAir HFA is Not as Good as Albuterol" about ProAir HFA Asthma Inhaler

BayouBengal — Fri, 01 Jan 2010 23:21:12 GMT

I discovered that I had asthma several years ago. I had no idea that I had it but started having allergic reactions to certain things quite often and was sent over the edge with chemical pneumonia when someone decided to do some painting indoors at work without ventilation the building. After that episode it was all downhill. I developed a bad case of allergy induced asthma and was prescribed an inhaler, Albuterol. This past fall when I got my new prescriptions I found a new drug, ProAir HFA, which is the good source of Albuterol sulfate so I was told.

The ProAir HFA Inhaler is smaller than the inhaler I was accustomed to but other than that, it was made the same way. There is a small canister and a mouthpiece with a cover. To use the inhaler you should first shake it up well, remove the cover, place in mouth and make sure your mouth is closed completely over the mouthpiece and press down on the canister to administer the medication. Hold your breath for 10-12 seconds before...

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Matt says "The Lenovo T500 Review - so far so good!" about Lenovo ThinkPad T500 (20564RU) PC Notebook

Matt — Fri, 01 Jan 2010 23:12:47 GMT

This is my first impressions review of a Lenovo T500 laptop I started using a few days ago. I will add to the review as I gain more experience with the machine.

First, a bit of background. I am a demanding laptop user. I rely very heavily on my laptop for both constant e-mail web surfing, and office applications such as Word, Excel and Powerpoint. I am not a gamer and don't care that much about the high end graphics features of some gaming laptops. My priorities are: a) a long battery life, b) a nice screen, c) fast and worry free and d) a nice solid well built feel. I use a computer 12 hours a day so it I have no problem paying a premium.

For the last year or so I have used a Dell XPS 1330. It performs like a champ and I am a big fan. However, Dell recently discontinued the XPS in favor of their Studio line but I was still interested in upgrading to Windows 7. My reasons for wanting to upgrade were: a) I had read that the Lenovo in particular had very fast boot up and...

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dmlichnerowicz says "Not quite as cupcakey as I was hoping..." about Avon Vanilla Frosting Bubble Bath

dmlichnerowicz — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 19:34:53 GMT

I'm not normally a bath-taker. One of my friends put it well..."I don't like soaking in my own funk." However, sometimes, I'll slow myself down enough to soak for a while after showering. My mother-in-law purchased my husband (who doesn't mind "soaking on his own funk" on a regular basis) a bottle of Avon Vanilla Frosting Bubble Bath for Christmas. This white creamy bubble bath is scented to smell like vanilla icing with a hint of sweet orange. Each 24 ox. bottle typically runs somewhere around $8.

My take: The nice thing about Avon bubble baths is that they have a good amount of foam that stays in the water for the majority of your bath. It also doesn't leave any residue along the side of the tub after your drain the water. The scent is strong enough, but it doesn't really smell like vanilla frosting to me...it smells more like the "hint" of orange that is in the aroma. I don't get images of cake in my head when I smell this, which is what I expected from the name.

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dmlichnerowicz says "Pretty sure the name just came from the movie..." about Bath and Body Works Bath and Body Works Twilight Woods Body Lotion

dmlichnerowicz — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 20:28:53 GMT

I like Bath and Body Works' body lotions, mostly for the fragrance, since they're not the most hydrating lotions I've used. With one of my Christmas gift cards, I decided to try out their new Twilight Woods collection. The description of the fragrance on the back of the bottle reads, "This hypnotic fragrance was inspired by a romantic walk in enchanted woods." Most woods smell like musty, grassy dirt to me, so I was intrigued.

My take: The bottle is really pretty. It's shaped like their regular body lotion bottles, but the cap has been redesigned and is much better quality. The fragrance, fortunately, does not smell like a forest. It's a very sweet, not quite floral, not quite sugary scent that's difficult to describe. Very feminine and soft without being baby powdery. The lotion, just like the remainder of their signature lines, is not as hydrating as some other creams and lotions, but it is very pleasant, soaks in quickly, and doesn't feel greasy at all. The fragrance...

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TheBard says "Logitech Deleivers Again!" about Logitech (920-000914) Keyboard

TheBard — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 18:04:55 GMT

Bottom-Line: Logitech delivers again with this sleekly designed illuminated keyboard.

The Logitech Illuminated Keyboard is a full sized ultrathin keyboard that is relatively simple in design and function; i.e. there is no USB hub, no scroll pad or dials, or separate specialized multimedia keys. What the Logitech Illuminated Keyboard does offer is quite a minimalist keyboard with softly illuminated, but bright keys that are easy to see day or night.

As the name implies, the Logitech Illuminated Keyboard is designed with embedded microlens reflectors under each individual key that produce an adjustable soft-white backlit effect under every key, except the function keys, where in the illumination is orange. The intensity of the light can be adjusted via a key in the upper right hand corner of the keyboard and there are three predetermined settings including off; I prefer it on at all times.

Underneath the keyboard, you will find two small plastic feet that extend down from the base, which...

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TheBard says "Like Titanic, This Movie should be seen over and over again!" about Avatar (2009)

TheBard — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 12:04:34 GMT

Bottom-Line: Avatar is a visual and emotional feast that should be experienced as often as you dare.

Story-Line

Written and directed by James Cameron one hardly knows where to begin to tell the tale of Avatar, but I'll give it a go. It's the 22nd century and the human race has depleted the Earth. Green, as in trees, grass, plants, and forests, are gone and man is looking for a new place exploit. They have found the Earth-like moon of Pandora some five months space travel from the Terraforma.

An unnamed private corporation is mining an invaluable mineral known as "unobtanium," on the planetoid that fetches a tidy sum on the open market back home. Pandora is a beautiful lush planetoid populated with diverse wildlife and a race of 10 feet tall forest dwelling blue humanoid creatures called Na'vi. They are a primitive race of people, by human standards, but very in touch with every living creature on their moon.

My Viewpoint

As the credits rolled on Avatar there was...

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MRSverret says "If you like the smell of suntan lotion you will like this" about Lavanila Vanilla Coconut Body Butter

MRSverret — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 08:14:44 GMT

On my recent order to Sephora I used my points to get a free deluxe sample of my choosing. I decided to get Lavanila Vanilla Coconut Body Butter. I love coconut and lotions and I also really like the idea of this lotion being all-natural.

I received a 1 oz. trial size but an 8.5 oz. size will cost you $25. It's available for purchase at Sephora, Lavanila.com and a few other sites.This lotion is made of all-natural ingredients. There are no petrochemicals, phthalates, propylene glycol, mineral oils, silicone, synthetic dyes, sulfates or parabens. A few of the ingredients this lotion does contain is cocoa seed butter, olive oil, beeswax, goji powder and Shea butter.

When I picked this sample I was expecting a creamy vanilla coconut scent. But when I opened the tube, it smells more like suntan lotion.The website describes the body butter as, " an island breeze of exotic coconut, Tahitian Tiare flower and warm Madagascar vanilla that softly scent skin." I smell lots of coconut but...

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john12 says "The FootBook- my favorite Dr. Seuss Book" about The Foot Book

john12 — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 00:45:36 GMT

My favourite Dr. Seuss Book

Everyone Loves the Rhymes

Generations of children have cut their reading teeth on the simple rhymes and elaborate illustrations of Dr. Seuss's books. The endearing characters of these books live on in our memories. The rhyme schemes also live on, adapted for every imaginable purpose, including parody, movies and even a Broadway show entitled" Seuss cal the musical," my own Seuss's immersion started with the classic The cat in the Hat who can-forget the wreckage wrought by this mischievously feline and his cohorts in crime, Thing 1 and thing 2? Later, there was The cat in the Hat comes Back, but like so many movie sequels of today it failed to reach the heights of hilarity of the original.

The Odd Book Out

Dr.Seuss' signature style used monosyllable words(easiest for young readers to grasp), memorial combinations, and lots of repetition. My favorite Seuss's book, however, breaks that mold. It is not written in rhymes. It is written in prose. Yes, it appears...

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TheBard says "Epiphany skips the Sophomore Blues in style" about Epiphany by Chrisette Michele

TheBard — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 15:26:34 GMT

Bottom-Line: No matter what your favorite track turns out to be, Epiphany contains a little for everyone.

Ms. Michele is back with a brand new CD, entitled Epiphany, released in the spring of 2009. Epiphany debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 and went on to sell 83,000 copies in its opening week. To date the CD has sold some 363,000 + copies and has hit the No. 1 spot on the Billboard R&B charts and spawned the singles Epiphany (track No.1), track No.3 What You Do (featuring Ne-Yo), Blame it On Me (track No. 4), and track No. 9 a remixed Fragile (featuring rapper Wale).

Superbly engineered and produced, Epiphany pulls together the best of the genre and entertains without insult; the music is evocative and at times moving and reflective. Throughout this CD Ms. Michelle seems to be telling a lover goodbye; track after track she proclaims her strength and independence (and fragility) through superbly performs songs.

Epiphany is a CD that I-and my wife-can and do listen...

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