Reviews by Friends of mysticstarfish

OldHippie says "For Those Without a Digital Camera" about Olympus - Infinity Zoom 80 QD 35mm Film Camera

OldHippie — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 10:22:21 GMT

Infinity Zoom? Hardly. But it does have fairly good zoom capabilities for a $50 film camera. I used one of these until I could save up the $$$ for a digital camera. From what I could find via the Internet, Target still carries this camera at most stores.

Like most everything, this little camera has its good & bad points. The good: From about 8 - 10 feet away, you can zoom in close on your subject. Anything further than that is a waste. It has a self timer if you want to get in the picture. And it can be mounted on a tri-pod. Also, this Olympus - Infinity Zoom 80 QD has several settings, such as to eliminate red-eye.

The bad: The directions are in several languages & are in really fine print. Get out the magnifying glasses. Since it's a film camera, you will have to look into a view finder vs. an LCD display as on digital cameras.

Two AA batteries supply the power. I found regular alkaline batteries worked fine as well as rechargeable batteries. You can also date...

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PattyTherre says "If an apple a day keeps the doctor away, what will two a day do?" about Kettle Valley - Frunola High Fiber Fruit Bars (All Flavors)

PattyTherre — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 05:06:50 GMT

Quick View: I personally love Kettle Valley Frunola High Fiber Fruit Bars (All Flavors) but everyone I have given one to try shuns them. My one son thinks they're gross, my other one says they're "not very good", and my sister says they're not edible. Maybe it's me but I like the idea of a bar that has two and half servings of fruit, nothing artificial, and is super high in fiber. I think they taste like fruit roll ups or fruit leather. Yummy.

About Kettle Valley Frunola High Fiber Fruit Bars (All Flavors)

Most people who know me - or even read my reviews - know that I put a lot of emphasis on fiber in my diet. Fiber is very filling and great for the digestive tract. I never get enough in my everyday diet because I don't eat a lot of, well, anything. I am not big into fresh fruit although I will eat it if it's in front of me. Same with fresh veggies. Love em but don't want to bother with them unless they're right there. So...I look for snack bars to help boost my fiber intake.

Kettle Valley......

njchicaa says "LUSH Christmas Cake soap is not my idea of a holiday treat." about LUSH Christmas Cake Soap

njchicaa — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 00:36:46 GMT

LUSH Christmas Cake Soap was part of the company's 2008 holiday collection. I saw the whole rounds of it in the Atlantic City store and thought the fruitcake resemblance was impressive. I picked up a chunk of it to smell... and promptly put it back, dismissing any idea of buying a piece. The spicy scent didn't do it for me. A month later, I had a coupon code for several free holiday products. I added one Christmas Cake to the list because I was sure the scent couldn't possibly be as bad as I remembered. It was.

The piece of soap that I received was an unattractive block of translucent red/brown with yellow chunks in it. The appearance didn't strike me as that of a festive, Christmas product. The scent also didn't remind me of any type of typical holiday fragrance. Instead, it seemed to be a blend of clove, cinammon, and smoke and generally was unpleasant to my nose.

The performance of Christmas Cake wasn't any better. It produced zero lather, it melted away quickly,...

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Katrena says "DISHONEST Sales Associate at Belks Dept Store in Statesville NC" about Belk - Statesville, NC

Katrena — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 14:48:48 GMT

I visited this Belks at Signal Hill Mall in Statesville, NC when I needed to exchange some pants that were too large that I had received for Christmas.

Upon entering the store, I found it to be clean and well-stocked. I noticed that quite a few associates were located in the various departments, and there were no more than two to three people waiting at each desk. The dressing room was roomy, but the door would not close completely in the one that I chose. Unfortunately, I could not find a pair of pants of the same style that fit properly, so I chose a pair that did fit in another style.

The pants I was returning had an original price of $44. The ones that I wanted to exchange had an original price of $29. The pants were currently on sale for 50% and 40% off. I did not have a receipt, so I understood that I would need to make an exchange for the lowest price on each.

Since the prices were not equal, another associate decided to "help" the one who was doing the exchange. She said "Just add...

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PattyTherre says "Killer abs? You may FEEL like you died after doing this workout." about The Bender Method of Core Training DVD and Ball

PattyTherre — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 03:35:56 GMT

Quick View: When I ordered my Crunchless Abs DVDs, I was offered The Bender Method of Core Training DVD and Ball for an extra 10 bucks so I said sure, why not? I never really stopped to think that I was ordering a crunchless program because crunches hurt my neck. Still, this method works pretty well but it isn't all that special. You could easily do the same exercises with any small inflatable ball.

About The Bender Method of Core Training DVD and Ball

The makers claim that using the Bender Ball makes crunches 408% more effective than regular crunches. If that were true, I would only have to do one a day and be done with it. The ball is flimsy. It needs to be inflated with a pump or straw and it's fairly hard to get it inflated the right amount.

After I got the ball inflated, I tried the DVD. The one included for the 10 bucks is the instruction one and it has three levels of difficulty - beginner, intermediate, and advanced. The beginner section is only three minutes long, the intermediate......

CyndiA says "Not Momma biscuits, but Grands southern biscuits style are good." about Grands Biscuits Southern Style

CyndiA — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 02:20:34 GMT

I make biscuits and may be behind the times, but I am OK with Grands Southern Style biscuits. They are not the same as the ones I roll and cut, but they are good. They are also quick, so I can handle farming out the bread to Pillsbury.

The Grands line are the big, fluffy biscuits in the tubes. If you've only had the low end canned biscuits, there's a difference. The Grands really are better, unless you want to make bread-on-a stick camping. Then, you want the cheap kind - small and not so much fat in there. Those work better over a fire. The Grands have too much fat in there and tend to burn over a fire.

Grands cook up big and fluffy in the oven, but the texture is not like home rolled biscuits. You just can't duplicate that. This is close enough, and my boys love the Southern Grands. It's much easier on me, so I'm not going to argue. They do prefer I make them, but some days do not work out for cooking up scratch biscuits.

I do not use Grands biscuits when I make biscuits and gravy. That...

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awlafon says "Queen & King get Royal sleep on Tempurpedic ClassicBed" about Tempurpedic Classic Mattress

awlafon — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 02:10:49 GMT

Tempur-Pedic Mattress

ClassicBed

I am quite sure that if the royal family had put the pea under a Tempur-Pedic mattress then the Princess from the "Princess and the Pea" would have never felt it, never married the Prince and would be still be wandering around bed hopping.

The King in my fairy tale had surgery several years ago followed by complications and long term therapy. We had a fairly new King size Sealy mattress that we both really liked just fine but several helpful folks in the medical field suggested considering a Tempur-Pedic mattress. With the 90 day money back guarantee, we decided to try one out and may I say that we have slept happily ever after.

It is important to know that there isn't one Tempur-Pedic mattress. Tempur-Pedic has a whole line of mattresses with varying details that all feature the unique Tempur foam material.

Tempur-Pedic Sleep Systems:
GrandBed
BellaSonaBed
AlluraBed
CelebrityBed
RhapsodyBed
BellafinaBed
DeluxeBed
PrimaBed
ClassicBed
AdvantageBed
OriginalBed
ClassicBed......

Jo says "Garmin c320 Pilots us onto the wrong Streets" about Garmin - Street Pilot c320

Jo — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 23:58:04 GMT

We finally got a GPS system for our SUV and for our current Florida trip. I did the research and chose the Garmin Street Pilot c320. Price was really the number one factor in our choice since my Lexus has a GPS as does my Blackberry. We spent about $100 on the Street Pilot - we got a great deal - sort of.

The Garmin StreetPilot has detailed maps throughout the United States and Puerto Rico. There are close to 6 million updated points of interest. It allows turn by turn navigation and it gives you postal code support for Canada.

The Garmin StreetPilot c320 has text and voice-guided directions. There is an SD slot and it comes with a 128MB SD card.

Pros

My husband and I are still together in spite of Gertrude the Garmin Street Pilot c320.

Garmin Street Pilot c320 is easy to read at night

The suction is good. We have not had it fall off the window.

The voice is easy to understand and adjust. We've listed to the English voice and the British voice and found them very clear.

We can touch a button...

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Katrena says "Read "Henri, Egg Artiste" and learn about famous artists" about Marcus Pfister - Henri, Egg Artiste

Katrena — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 19:22:12 GMT

After reading "Henri, Egg Artiste" by Marcus Pfister, I felt a bit more educated about several famous artists. I do not recall learning very much about these artists in school, but I am always looking for new learning opportunities for my children and myself. My 7-year-old was particularly drawn to this book and requested that I read it several times when we checked it out at our public library.

Henri, a rabbit, has been coloring eggs each year for Easter, but this year he is bored. After all, how many ways can a person possibly decorate an egg? After a bit of coaxing, Henri finally decides that he will paint the eggs this year with an artist's eye.

Each egg is different and distinct and attempts to capture various artistic styles. They resemble works by famous artists. One egg resembles the precise tints and true to life portrayal of a woman that is reminiscent to Leonardo d Vinci's Mona Lisa. Another perhaps searches for an emotional reaction not unlike Edvard Munch's The Scream. One looks...

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steve9631 says "The spectacular volcanic Canary Island" about Lanzarote, Canary Islands, Spain

steve9631 — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 18:37:14 GMT

The greenest of the Canary Islands because they have to be. Unlike many of the other Canary Islands which are lush and forested and abundant with palms, Lanzarote is the volcanic isle and has volcanoes and lava flows whichever direction your head seems to turn. Add to this it only gets a couple of days of rain a year, and you have a truly unique setting for being an inhabited island. Why would anyone live here you might ask? Why would it be such a popular vacation destination? Because it is flat outright one of the most strikingly beautiful places on the face of the earth.

White sand beaches with turquoise water, a perfect warm weather climate, and the most dramatic landscapes of anywhere I have ever been in my life. The island gets it's water from home and business rainwater collection when it rains and a series of desalination plants. It gets it's power from solar, being in the perfect spot for it, and from geo thermal energy, as it's a truly volcanic hot spot. When you...

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Katrena says "Hotpoint Washer #VBSR2080--nothing fancy but washes clothes" about Hotpoint Washer Model #VBSR2080

Katrena — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 04:03:38 GMT

We go for the best quality we can get for the least amount of money when buying appliances. We bought this Hotpoint Washer Model #VBSR2080 in 2001 for $399 with free delivery.

This washing machine has worked for over seven years without problems, but I had my doubts within the first two years since we had to get the Hotpoint dryer that we bought with it repaired twice.

Here are some of the features (controls are controlled by knobs and are not digital):

3 load sizes (small, large, and super--I tend to use super because I have super-sized laundry piles with a family of 5)
wash temperature (cold, warm, hot--I tend to use cold because I'd prefer not to shrink anything--the lid does give recommendations for the different temperatures)
settings (perm. press, knits, delicates--I've only used rarely or heavy, normal, light--I tend to use normal)
optional extra rinse (if I want to use extra detergent or to clean havily soiled clothes or forget to get the clothes out of the washer and place in the dryer...

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CyndiA says "Alfred Dunner textured sweaters electrify me in a bad way. " about Alfred Dunner Textured Sweaters

CyndiA — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 02:42:55 GMT

Generally I associate Alfred Dunner products with older women. That's not to be rude, but I just know the Alfred Dunner line comes in sets and that I usually see them on women neatly dressed and matched. Since the quality is good, and the Alred Dunner line is easy care, I do pick up separates from time to time.

Last fall I got a beige and black textured sweater. It's just like the photo but not that (hum) plum or some such color. I didn't want to make a statement like grape. I just wanted a couple of easy-care neutral sweaters to go with Carolina Fit slacks which I love and perhaps with a jacket on cooler days.

I've had some other Alfred Dunner separates before and found them to be good buys. The neutral sweaters seemed a safe and good bet. There are days when I roll out of bed and matching an outfit is quite a challenge. A beige and black textured sweater would be easy and go with a lot of things in my closet.

The Alfred Dunner sweaters turned out not to be a good plan. It may be my body,...

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PattyTherre says "If you eat this and not that, you'll be healthier and leaner!" about Eat This, Not That! Thousands of Simple Food Swaps that Can Save You 10, 20, 30 Pounds--or More!

PattyTherre — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 02:19:10 GMT

Quick View: I consider myself very knowledgeable about foods and their contents. I am a label reader and I log what I eat although I am at the weight I want to be. I avoid high fat, high calorie foods and I can eyeball how much to eat. My niece showed me this book not long ago and it blew me away. I bought it immediately along with the Supermarket Survival Guide, its sister book. About Eat This, Not That! actually taught me a LOT and it's a simple, easy read. It's a book everyone should own along with its sister book for grocery store items.

About Eat This, Not That! Thousands of Simple Food Swaps that Can Save You 10, 20, 30 Pounds--or More!

This is a very simple paper back book with bright, clear photos for dozens of restaurants. Each page shows what TO choose as opposed to what NOT to choose at chain restaurants we all go to like Starbucks, Taco Bell, Burger King, Denny's, Ben and Jerry's and so many more. They have the optimal thing to choose with the fat, calories, and sodium facts as......

njchicaa says "Fans of LUSH's Comforter bubble bar will love this shower gel." about LUSH The Comforter Shower Gel

njchicaa — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 02:02:57 GMT

LUSH The Comforter Shower Gel is a special-edition product that was made with the same scent as the company's popular Comforter bubble bar. I stumbled upon the whole thing randomly one night when I decided to see what was going on at the web site. When I noticed these shower gels for sale and saw that they were for sale at $16.95 per 8.4 fluid ounce bottle, I ordered two of them and I'm glad that I did.

The Comforter bubble bar is a beautiful solid block of bubble bath with a hot pink and white swirl throughout. This shower gel is the same pink-purple color and has the same scent as the bubble bar--a scent that is supposed to be "comforting". It contains cypress, bergamot, cassis, and other scents... all of which combine to smell to me like a combination of berries and blackcurrant.

This shower gel is a bit runny and is transparent as opposed to the Snowcake Shower Gel that I also recently tried. I expected the performance to be disappointing since it seemed to be so weak...

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vivasuzi says "A fun game with a few downsides that make it 4 out of 5 stars" about 2K - Family Guy The Video Game

vivasuzi — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 00:10:22 GMT

When I got Family Guy the Video Game, I didn't know what to expect. It could have been HILARIOUS, or it could have been super dumb. It actually turned out to be pretty fun with only a few downsides.

There is a plot to the game, but it's not really important and it becomes kind of random. Basically what happens is you encounter various scenes in which you must get to the end by facing various challenges. The game is played scene by scene instead of ungoing... like you have to get to that door and then you move to the next scene. You'll play as Stewie, Brian and Peter at different parts of the game as there are actually 3 storylines going on (just like there would be on TV). Each story is pretty much like a TV show story, except drawn out.

Stewie is trying to control the world through mind control and the TV
Brian is trying to break out of jail after getting Sebreeze pregnant
Peter is off looking for Mr. Belvedere and has to beat a lot of characters up!

Although they have storylines,...

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njchicaa says "Reading The Book of Bright Ideas is a great idea!" about The Book of Bright Ideas

njchicaa — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 23:52:23 GMT

The Book of Bright Ideas by Sandra Kring takes place in the summer of 1961 in Wisconsin. It centers around Evelyn "Button" Peters, her parents Reece and Jewel, and her Aunt Verdella and Uncle Rudy. They live very close to each other which is convenient as Verdella watches 9-year old Button during the day while her parents are at work. When a beautiful young woman and her 9-year old sister come into town, Verdella offers to rent the house across the way from hers to them. The sisters accept eagerly and decide to try Drury, Wisconsin out for awhile.

Freeda and Winnalee aren't your average neighbors, though. Freeda is, well, let's just say she is very free with her "friendship" and Winnalee insists on carrying an urn of her mother's ashes with her wherever she goes. Button immediately takes to the confident and happy sisters and quickly decides that Winnalee is her best friend in the whole world. In addition to the urn, Winnalee also carries around her Book of Bright Ideas...

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BayouBengal says "Glimmer Like a Star with Bare Escentuals Bareminerals Glimmer" about Bare Escentuals Bare Minerals Glimmer

BayouBengal — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 18:20:09 GMT

I've never been one to really put on a lot of makeup but sometimes you do want to draw attention to your eyes. Mascara doesn't always do the trick, or you want something that will complement your clothing. My case was a little different. I just wanted a different look. I wanted an eyeshadow color that was neutral, would go with lots of outfits, and also be noticed. I decided on two shades of Bare Escentuals BareMinerals Glimmer to perk up my eyes.

Bare Escentuals BareMinerals Glimmer

Bare Escentuals BareMinerals Glimmer comes in small plastic pots with black lids with the "BE" logo on top. The top screws on and off to reveal a circle with a small tab that should be pulled off to open up the sifter holes to allow you to access the eyeshadow.

Each "pot" of Bare Escentuals BareMinerals Glimmer contains .02 ounces of eyeshadow. This doesn't sound like a lot, but a pot usually lasts me anywhere from one to two years.

The "glimmer" line consists of a Bare Minerals regular eyeshadow......

VixenViewTreasures says "Great way to make connections between languages" about P. D. Eastman - Perro Grande...Perro Pequeno/ Big Dog...Little Dog: Un Cuento De Las Buenas Noches/ A Bedtime Story

VixenViewTreasures — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 15:32:34 GMT

Perro Grande...Perro Pequeño aka Big Dog...Little Dog by P.D. Eastman is a Spanish to English story. It is a paperback in full color with story and illustrations by Eastman.

Fred and Ted are the Big dog and Little dog of the title. Each page compares the two friends Fred and Ted. The story is written in simple but complete sentences allowing the reader to see sentence structure and correct verb, noun, adjective usage of both languages.

It's a simple but cute story that takes you on the journey of the lives of Fred (Perro Grande) and Ted (Perro Pequeño). You start off with their size comparisons, and travel through things like money, weather, instruments, food, houses, cars, and winter sports. You learn about locations, rooms, and things that make the friends different, as well as problems big and small for these two, but in the end, they are friends, and friends work out their differences and find ways to work together to help one another. :)

This is an entertaining story that......

krislynn says "Candlelight Yoga is a very relaxing yoga workout DVD!!!" about Candlelight Yoga with Sara Ivanhoe

krislynn — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 09:12:07 GMT

Candlelight Yoga
with Sara Ivanhoe

I wanted to get a yoga workout DVD, but I had no idea which one to get. Sometimes it is a hit or miss because of the volume of yoga workout DVDs on the market today. I was watching FIT TV channel one day and caught a yoga routine by Sara Ivanhoe. She is very easy to follow and helps you to relax during the poses. I decided to do a search on her yoga workout DVDs and ended up purchasing the Candlelight Yoga.

Sara Ivanhoe is a certified yoga instructor. She describes her fitness philosophy as "Yoga is like a marathon, not a sprint; slow and safe persistence gives you the best results. The main thing is to have fun and keep your sense of humor. Enjoy and you're more likely to stick to it."

Sara Ivanhoe's focus is on breathing, flexibility, looseness and relaxation, not achieving the perfect pose. The DVD begins with a very gentle warm-up stretch and it ends with plain relaxation. The set is beautiful with LOTS of glowing candles on the floor. Sara Ivanhoe guides...

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PattyTherre says "Three More Cash Back Sites That WILL Save You Money Online" about More Cash Back Sites that Save YOU Money!

PattyTherre — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 05:27:58 GMT

Money's tight for us all these days but we still have to buy things. I am committed to shopping for the best bargains online and always using cash back sites. They are websites that you click through to shop at stores and they give you a percentage of your order amount back free with no strings attached. I have found three more cash back sites that are very good. Add these to the first ones I listed* and you'll never shop without getting a discount again!

My Newest Top Cash Back Sites that are 100% LEGIT!

BigCrumbs (www.big crumbs.com)
This is a great site for cash back and for actually making money from referrals. This site has some of the highest percentages back that I have seen and they pay monthly into your paypal account. There are two levels you can choose. CrumbSavers save BIG on their own purchases and can refer others but they don't get much back when their referrals shop. I am a CrumbSaver because I shop a LOT and like the cash back rather than relying on others to shop and get......