Reviews by Friends of mhew

AnnaBanana says "The 97 Cent Solution!" about White Rain Shampoo

AnnaBanana — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 22:46:11 GMT

Those of you who have eagerly (or maybe NOT so eagerly?) followed the saga of my shampoo adventures know that I have experienced mixed results with a variety of products. I had to give up shampoos or conditioners which contained Yellow Dye #10 because they were "yellowing" my prematurely white hair. I tried Aveda Sap Moss for a while, which worked alright, but was a tad expensive. I switched to Pantene Pro-V Silver Expressions which fulfilled its promise of leaving my hair shimmering and bright -- alas, it reached the point where it wasn't leaving my hair at all as I noticed what seemed to be abnormal hair loss during shampoos, brushings and stylings. Shampooing one's hair is an indispensable part of life so I plodded on through the jungle until I came to a reunion with an old friend from the 50's ... White Rain Shampoo now manufactured by the Sun Products Corporation of Wilton, CT.

A TRIP DOWN MEMORY LANE

When I was in high school, White Rain Shampoo was manufactured by the Gillette...

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AngelaWLaFon says "Ozark Trail Tents: Lightweight, Waterproof & Easy to Put Up" about Ozark Trail 4 Person Dome Tent 8'x9'

AngelaWLaFon — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 20:57:06 GMT

Ozark Trail 4 Person Dome Tent 8'x9'

We've owned several Ozark tents and they have proven to be consistently reliable in many areas.

Ozark tents are:

-inexpensive and easy to find (Walmart usually has them.)

-lightweight (This one is less than 5 lbs.)

-really easy to put up and take down ( One person can do it and with two people it's a jiff.)

-fit back into the original zipper case (Maybe note ever quite a neatly but they do go back in and you are able to zip the carry case.)

-waterproof (So far we've had no condensation inside of the Ozark tents.

Features of the Ozark Trail 4 Person Dome Tent:

-8' x 9'

-"screen" door

-top "rainfly"

-mud flap entry

-side stash compartments for essentials

-overhead net hanger for clothes, etc.

-handled, zipper carry case

-4 stakes and bag

My only issue with Ozark tents and all tents really other than Montana Canvas Company tents are the "person" claims. This four person tent will sleep my husband and I and one puppy or baby perhaps but I don't think any...

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Fardreamer says "Beevor's D-Day is bound to be a classic on the WWII campaign" about Antony Beevor - D-Day: The Battle for Normandy

Fardreamer — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 17:39:38 GMT

A few months ago, while I was flipping through one of my issues of Time magazine, I came across a glowing review for Antony Beevor's newest book, D-Day: The Battle for Normandy.

In a nutshell, the Time article caught my eye because the Battle for Normandy, which started off with the largest amphibious operation in history and culminated with the liberation of Paris almost three months later, has fascinated me since I was old enough to read excerpts of Cornelius Ryan's 1959 classic work about June 6, 1944, The Longest Day, in old copies of Reader's Digest.

The term "D-Day" has come to be forever linked to that fateful June morning in which paratroopers and soldiers from a multinational alliance landed along a 50-mile stretch of coast in the French region of Normandy, and many excellent books and documentaries have focused on the 24-hour period of the initial landings.

I've read quite a few of those, including The Longest Day and Stephen E. Ambrose's 1994 D-Day June 6, 1944: The Climactic...

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AngelaWLaFon says "Burt's Bees Lip Balm: Superior Protection for Kisser in Winter" about Burt's Bees Beeswax Lip Balm

AngelaWLaFon — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 02:49:03 GMT

Burt's Bees Lip Balm

We've had 17 days straight here of sledding so you can imagine the cold temperatures we've had but throw in the wind and then the indoor dryness of keeping a wood-stove going all of the time and you've got a recipe for dry, chapped lips. Not here.

We've used Burt's Bees Lip Balm for several years and this winter we stocked up on some of the Burt's Bees Lip Stash Mixed Packs.

Each Burt's Bees Lip Stash Packs- Mixed has a tube of:

Beeswax Lip Balm

Replenishing Lip Balm

Honey Lip Balm

Burt's Bees Lip Balms are made in North Carolina, USA! They use natural ingredients like beeswax and coconut oil, sweet almond oil, peppermint oil, honey and rosemary.

Burt's Bees has eco-friendly packaging. Burt's Bees using soy ink and recylced post consumer waste paper in their packaging.

We found the three packs of Burt's Bees Lip Balm for under $10.00.

I believe that these lip balms are truly superior to other brands. They go on smooth, have a minimal taste and smell and keep...

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Fardreamer says "Coruscant Guard is nice depiction of minor Star Wars soldier" about Hasbro Star Wars - Power of the Jedi Coruscant Guard

Fardreamer — Sun, 03 Jan 2010 18:35:47 GMT

One of the more visually striking images from Star Wars - Episode VI: Return of the Jedi is seen when the evil Emperor (Ian McDiarnid) arrives at the second Death Star aboard a sleek Imperial Shuttle.

Before the Galactic Empire's supreme ruler and senior Lord of the Sith disembarks, we see a squad of red-robed Imperial Royal Guards, their faces hidden from view by helmeted masks with black eyepieces that allow them to see everything around them.

The Red Robes, as the Royal Guards are colloquially known, don't have any dialogue in Return of the Jedi or the two Prequels in which they're glimpsed; they're basically there to give audiences a strong visual counterpart to Star Trek's "red shirt" security guards or those SS guards seen protecting Adolf Hitler in documentaries and movies about World War II and/or Nazi Germany.

In Star Wars - Episode I: The Phantom Menace, however, there is no Galactic Empire and Emperor Palpatine is still just the recently-elected Supreme Chancellor of the Republic,...

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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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AnnaBanana says "Holy SMACKERS! Good news for all of us snackers!" about Jolly Time - The Big Cheeze Microwave Popcorn

AnnaBanana — Sat, 02 Jan 2010 20:41:07 GMT

Usually in my reviews, I try to concentrate on foods with redeeming features -- low fat, whole grain, less calories, etc. -- but sometimes for something special I will leap the fence and take a chance on reviewing something that is only notable because it is so much fun to eat. Such is the case of Jolly Time The Big Cheeze Microwave Popcorn. My doctor would probably wake up screaming in the middle of the night if she knew I was eating this sort ot stuff (and rightfully so) but for a now-and-then treat, Jolly Time has outdone themselves.

In my first excited forays through Alice.com, I noticed that they had several types of popcorn for sale and took a chance on this one. I always think the winter months are an ideal season for fresh hot popcorn made at home. Last night, as I was watching "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince," it occurred to me that if I had seen it in the theatre when it was first released, I probably would have been snacking on popcorn so I stopped the disk for...

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Fardreamer says "Lectric Shave helps guys shave closer with electric razors" about Williams Lectric Shave Pre Shave Original Green Tea

Fardreamer — Sat, 02 Jan 2010 18:04:08 GMT

As a guy who has periodically alternated between the neat-and-clean shaven look and the Ernest Hemingway-wannabe bearded "writer" one, I have used many shaving products ever since my first unwelcome whisker appeared on my face when I was 16 years old.

At first, shaving was a breeze. All I needed to do was use my first Norelco electric shaver and do a quick pass on the cluster of whiskers that popped up, dandelion-like, on my chin.

Later, though, my beard got more developed and thicker (especially in my cheek and neck areas), and I had to figure out which method of shaving worked best for me even when I let my beard grow to look either older or more intellectual. (I still needed to shave parts of my face then, or else I ended up looking like Lon Chaney, Jr. in The Wolfman.)

Now, although I use both the "wet" (disposable razor-and-shaving cream) and "dry" (electric razor-only) methods of facial hair removal, I've always leaned toward the dry one because I don't like the inevitable nicks...

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AnnaBanana says "Sears brightens up another corner!" about Grandrich Ceramic Table Lamp Model No. G2084 WHT

AnnaBanana — Sat, 02 Jan 2010 04:55:22 GMT

It is the start of another new year and who knows what the future will bring? Well, here is one safe bet -- as we each get older, we will probably feel less enthusiastic about scaling ladders or perching on chairs and reaching up to change bulbs in overhead lighting fixtures. It stands to reason that most senior citizens depend more and more on table lamps, night lights, or lighting fixtures which can be reached from a safe standing position on the floor.

Alas, my dear Auntie's beloved milk glass bedstand lamp finally gave in this year and it turned out to be hard to replace. Aunt Tatty didn't want something breathcatching and dramatic -- she just wanted a nice little lamp to brighten up the corner where her bed is. Sears had the answer and it was something we were able to find on line -- the Grandrich Ceramic Table Lamp Model No. G-2084 WHT.

This little lamp is perfect for a bedroom oriented to either gender and would also serve well in many other rooms. It is just 12 inches...

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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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skbreese says "Traveling Light: My Life In Ruins" about My Life in Ruins

skbreese — Fri, 01 Jan 2010 22:12:25 GMT

Star of the hit romantic comedy My Big Fat Greek Wedding, Nia Vardalos, returns to the big screen in the 2009 follow-up, My Life In Ruins. Unfortunately, this film suffers from a few too many crude jokes (a character named Poupi "poopy" Kakas) and tired gags (a kleptomaniac grandma). The result is a thinly plotted travelogue that is neither very funny nor romantic.

Recently laid off American history professor, Georgia, (Nia Vardolos) takes a job as a tour guide in Greece, for a low budget travel agency, and receives mediocre reviews, while in constant competition with her co-worker, Nico, (Alistair Mc Gowen), who always gets the best tourists and an air conditioned bus. However, her fortunes change when a middle aged widower, Irv, (Richard Dreyfuss) teaches her some valuable lessons on life and love.

Despite a charming performance from Vardalos, the other characters in the film are a bit too one-dimensional and stereotypical (the loud Americans, boozing Australians, and over-sexed Spanish...

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AnnaBanana says "It's still not the REAL thing but it's pretty good." about Dean's 2% Reduced Fat Holiday Egg Nog

AnnaBanana — Fri, 01 Jan 2010 20:53:51 GMT

When I was a little kid, no year-end holiday season was complete at Grandpa Bowen's house until some hero among us adjourned to the kitchen in the evening and whipped up a bowl or pitcher of egg nog. The formula was simple -- according to some old family recipe, you beat up a few raw eggs with an egg beater (Remember egg beaters!) before adding in a quart of whole milk, some sugar, and a touch of nutmeg. After apportioning my share to me, the adults may have spiked what was left before they divided it among themselves. We toasted each other with our glasses of nog for a festive moment destined to become a memory which I will always treasure.

If you have never tasted fresh, foamy homemade egg nog, you really missed something and alas, it looks like a lot of people have missed the boat on this permanently. Not only is a bowl of egg nog a lot of trouble to make but the authorities have warned us about the danger of eating anything made with fresh (raw) eggs which now present a...

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Katrena says "Paws -n- Claws Pet Brush Has Two Types of Bristles & Only $1" about Paws -n- Claws Pet Brush

Katrena — Fri, 01 Jan 2010 06:35:38 GMT

Paws n Claws Pet Brush is a dog grooming brush with a brown wooden handle with two different types of bristles. One side has short black bristles while the other side has longer metal bristles with little balls on the end of each bristle. We tried both sides of the brush on our poodle mix, but only the shorter and softer black bristles work well for our poodle mix.

I've learned several things about grooming a dog after rescuing this dog from the local animal shelter:

Some dogs love to be brushed and will lie down forever while being brushed (ours is one of those)
Poodle mixes are not bad about shedding. My mother-in-law has a border collie and she probably looses more hair being brushed than our dog has on her skin.
Dogs may mistake this for a chew toy and chew the wooden end.
Babies may mistake this for a person's hairbrush or toothbrush.

This dog brush is distributed in Virginia but made in China. I prefer American made products, but sometimes they are hard to find and afford.

My Viewpoint:...

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Katrena says "Disney Princess 50 Piece Puzzle Comes in 2-Pack for $1.00" about Disney Princess 50 Piece Puzzle

Katrena — Fri, 01 Jan 2010 05:21:34 GMT

Disney Princess 50-Piece Puzzle comes in a two-pack at our local Dollar Tree. That works well because you can get two fun puzzles for $1.00. I picked up this 2-pack of Disney Princess puzzles for my 5-year-old. She absolutely loves princesses and enjoys working puzzles, so I thought this would be right up her alley. Each puzzle, when put together, measures about 5" by 7".

What I Like about Disney Princess Puzzle (2 pack):

The boxes are very small and are handy for packing into something like a stocking or for taking on a trip.
The pictures are of some of my daughters' favorite princesses, like Snow White, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, etc.
The colors are fun and bright.
The puzzles aren't real hard to work--they have straight edges around the sides and lots of changes in colors and the pieces fit well together.
The pieces aren't warped like what happened last year when I bought some different puzzles that were similar but larger.

My Viewpoint:

This 2 pack of Disney Princess Puzzles that...

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Katrena says "Color Wonder Under the Sea Has Cool Coloring Activities!" about Crayola Color Wonder Under the Sea Activity Set

Katrena — Fri, 01 Jan 2010 04:58:26 GMT

Crayola Color Wonder Under the Sea Activity Set is an interesting and cool set of activities.

Included in the Under the Sea Activity Set:

Figurines--this one has a fish and seahorse
Paint brush markers--these sort of work like paint brushes but don't color unless used on color wonder materials
Broad line markers--these are more like traditional markers but won't color unless used on color wonder materials
Coloring book with 36 pages

What I Like about Color Wonder Under the Sea:

My 8-year-old daughter received this as a Christmas gift and was absolutely thrilled and said it was the best gift ever (other than getting a dog....)
It is nice to have something that doesn't make a mess in case the younger kids grab these and try to decorate everything.
The figurines were cute and a fun twist to the Color Wonder collection

What I Don't Like about Color Wonder Under the Sea:

The colors of the markers were pretty limited, but we had some other markers from previous gifts that worked with this as...

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Katrena says "Mistle Totes Umbrella Opens Full Size but Closes Very Small" about Mistle Totes Umbrella

Katrena — Fri, 01 Jan 2010 04:52:41 GMT

Mistle Totes Umbrellas are made by Totes around Christmas time. They are sold in a festive and cute box with jingle bells and a bow on top for a holiday-type theme, and my sister, CyndiA, bought this for me for Christmas this year. (I love to recycle things, so jingle bells are always a fun addition to a gift!) An umbrella is a nice and useful gift idea, and my sister gave me one this year for Christmas.

What I Like about Mistle Totes Umbrella:

It opens full size (which is helpful if you have three small kids that prefer not to get wet in the rain)
It's manual (which is helpful if you have kids that like to experiment with umbrellas)
It is easy to open and close and comes with a separate cover (nice for storage)
It folds into a very small size (handy for carrying in a pocketbook or storing in the car)
It has a wrist strap
Mine is aqua, which is a color I like
It has a lifetime warranty (I've had several Totes brand umbrellas and they do tend to work well and last a long time)

The main thing...

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AnnaBanana says "It's made with Whole Grain but ..." about Cheez-It - Baked Snack Crackers made with Whole Grain

AnnaBanana — Fri, 01 Jan 2010 04:46:05 GMT

Alice.com has among other things a wide variety of Cheez-It Baked Snack Crackers manufactured by the Sunshine Company. Several of us have reviewed the Cheez-It products, including my own review about Cheez-It Reduced Fat Baked Snack Crackers. Now something new has been added to the line: Cheez-It Baked Snack Crackers made with Whole Grain ... to be more specific, 5 grams of Whole Grain per serving. I am a Cheez-It fan from way back but the fact remains that there are OTHER things besides whole grain in these crackers.

STATS:

Twenty-seven crackers constitute a single serving which contains 150 calories with 70 calories from fat. There are 8 grams Total Fat, 2 grams Saturated Fat, 4 grams polyunsaturated Fat, 2 grams Monounsatured fat, zero each Trans Fat. Cholesterol, and Sugars, 250 mg. Sodium, 17 grams Total Carbs, one gram Dietary Fiber, and 3 grams Protein. Also included are 6% (D.V.) Iron, and 2% each Vitamin A and Calcium.

MY VIEWPOINT:

Cheez-It Baked Snack Crackers made...

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Katrena says "The Day Before Christmas Talks about Memories of Loved One" about The Day Before Christmas

Katrena — Fri, 01 Jan 2010 04:42:00 GMT

The Day Before Christmas [1992, Clarion Books, ISBN: 0-89919-866-X] by Eve Bunting with paintings by Beth Peck is a 32-page children's book about enjoying the holidays after the loss of a loved one.

The Story:

A grandfather is taking his granddaughter to see the Nutcracker, a play that he also took his daughter to see many years before. The granddaughter is seven years old, the same age that her mother was when Grandpa took her mom to see the same play. Unfortunately, the little girl's mother died four years ago. The little girl's dad warns his daughter that Grandpa "may be a little sad today," but Grandpa and his granddaughter enjoy their time together and make their own special memory.

This book is a bit nostalgic and interesting in that the illustrations are actually paintings. The Day Before Christmas seems to be set in a former time since the little girl is riding the train to meet her grandfather.

My Viewpoint:

I think The Day Before Christmas might be particularly well suited for...

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