Reviews by Friends of scapp70

Fardreamer says "This Special Edition Boba Fett figure is, well, special!" about Hasbro Star Wars - Power of the Jedi Boba Fett Special Edition (300th Figure)

Fardreamer — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 19:55:58 GMT

In 1977, Star Wars magically transported millions of moviegoers to a galaxy far, far away. With its 3-¾" - scale figures, Kenner allowed kids of all ages to take pieces of that galaxy into their homes and forever changed the way children play with toys. As the Star Wars saga expanded and evolved over the last twenty + years, so did Hasbro-Kenner's action figure lines. It is with great pleasure that we celebrate these decades of fun with this Special Edition Star Wars 300th 3-¾ " figure. - from the package blurb

When I began collecting Star Wars action figures in the spring of 1978, little did I realize that a gift of the original Kenner Landspeeder and two small figures would be the foundation of a modestly large collection of figures, vehicles and "action playsets" based on the characters and situations created by George Lucas.

I don't, of course, have every action figure, vehicle or accessory ever made; I lack both the financial resources and the space to have amassed the most complete...

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Jolie says "buyuggsboot.net is a scam! Ugg Boots from China that are fake." about www.buyuggsboot.net

Jolie — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 05:22:46 GMT

Background on Buyuggsboot.net

A friend of mine at Viewpoints recently passed along a site called www.buyuggsboot.net. She found it online. www.buyuggsboot.net is a web site that sells all styles of Ugg Boots at discounted prices.

We werent certain if www.buyuggsboot.net were the real or not. But after a thorough review of the site, we thought it was legit. Buyuggsboot.net looks like a reasonable reseller of Ugg Boots. The page is designed well, the pictures look authentic and they make claim to having the real deal. They also consistently site throughout the web site having customer satisfaction commitments.

To add to the thought it was authentic, the pricing seemed good but not amazing. As you probably know a typical pair of Ugg Boots cost about $110. On Buyuggsboot.net the cost was $89.00- approximately a $20 savings. Seemed like a good deal, but they werent so cheap that I thought it could be scam. As an aside, last year Nordstrom had a similiar sale on Ugg boots so the pricing seemed...

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Fardreamer says "Hasbro's Palpatine is nice rendition of Star Wars' main baddie! " about Hasbro Star Wars Saga: Supreme Chancellor Palpatine

Fardreamer — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 17:36:08 GMT

A Look at Supreme Chancellor Palpatine from Attack of the Clones

For all their flaws (real or perceived), the Star Wars prequels finally get around to explaining how a once-great and thriving democracy evolved into a tyrannical dictatorship even though it was protected by the formidable Jedi Order.

The Republic didn't become the evil Empire because Palpatine -- who was introduced into the film series in The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi -- came from another galaxy and took it over by an external attack, but because the Senator/Sith Lord wormed his way patiently into the office of the Supreme Chancellor by using the weaknesses of the democratic system against itself. By allying himself with greedy ultra-capitalist organizations such as the Trade Federation and employing subtle "dirty tricks" to remove Supreme Chancellor Valorum from office, Palpatine cleverly manipulates people and events to get himself elected as head of the Senate and the Republic's Chief Executive.

As George...

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Fardreamer says "Nivea For Men Oil Control Face Wash does the job on my skin!" about Nivea Oil Control Face Wash 5oz For Men

Fardreamer — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 19:21:49 GMT

I usually have a clear complexion with some dry skin issues, but most of the time my facial skin is normal and relatively low-maintenance. All I normally have to do is wash it a few times a day, including once when I'm taking my shower and once while shaving.

Every so often\, though, my 40-something year-old face will start regressing to adolesecence and start getting oily and pimply.

While this is not a disaster of Biblical proportions it's not pleasant, especially if the problem escalates from being merely oily skin to an acne breakout, particularly on the tip of my nose or my forehead. The oily skin feels weird and yucky, and the pimples look ugly and are often painful, too.

Before I switched to Nivea® For Men Skin Care products several years ago, I relied on Clearasil soap and its StayClear deep clean astringent partner. I used Clearasil products throughout my teens and into my twenties, and for the most part they did a fantastic job of eliminating zits and keeping my skin from...

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Fardreamer says "Alien Resurrection flirts with excellence but fails to get it" about Alien Resurrection

Fardreamer — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 18:45:31 GMT

One of the most annoying aspects of the movie industry is Hollywood's penchant for taking a successful "property" such as Airport, Jaws and other one-shot films and offering remakes and sequels that were never planned for by the original screenwriters, novelists or directors.

Universal Pictures, for instance, gave the world not only the ridiculous Airport "quadrilogy" of one interesting film and three lame-to-beyond awful remakes/sequels, but it took Steven Spielberg's classic man-versus-white shark summer movie Jaws and saddled it with such unworthy follow-ups as Jaws 2, Jaws 3-D and the inanely idiotic Jaws: The Revenge.

Of course, Universal is not the only major studio to commission "franchises" where no franchise was originally intended; Paramount Pictures, MGM-United Artists and 20th Century Fox have all fallen prey to the lure of Sequelitis.

That the studio which reluctantly released Star Wars in 1977 and suddenly had a big moneymaker in its hands would want to squeeze every buck...

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vivasuzi says "Not bad, but a bit more talking than I expected." about 2012

vivasuzi — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 00:26:28 GMT

2012 is a story about the end of the world. Apparently the Mayan's predicted the world would end in 2012, and guess what, it looks like they were right! According to this movie at least. The movie actually begins in 2009 as scientists discover some anomalies happening at the Earth's core. This news spreads up to the president of the United States and from there makes it to all the important people of the world. But the regular person, like Jackson Curtis and family, have no idea what is about to happen to them.

The film follows the president, the scientists, and his daughter on one side of the spectrum. These are the people in the know and trying to figure out what to do while keeping things underwraps. Then the film also follows Jackson Curtis, his ex-wife and kids as they try to piece together things they hear and save themselves before it is too late. Who will survive? You'll have to watch and see!

John Cusack plays Jackson Curtis, a writer who wrote a book that...

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Fardreamer says "Senator Palpatine is a nice but not great Episode I figure" about Hasbro Star Wars - Episode I: Senator Palpatine

Fardreamer — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 18:30:24 GMT

A political and tactical mastermind, Senator Palpatine represents the people of Naboo in the Galactic Senate and engineers his own election as Supreme Chancellor of the Republic. - From the package blurb

Star Wars fans -- especially those who have read the novelizations of A New Hope and Return of the Jedi -- have known that the evil Emperor was once Senator Palpatine, an ambitious politician who cleverly maneuvered his way up the ranks of the Galactic Senate and into the Republic's highest elected office.

In the Prequel Trilogy writer-director George Lucas showed audiences how Palpatine worms his way into power, by cleverly manipulating the democratic process, pushing Queen Amidala to call for a vote of "no confidence" against his one-time friend Valorum, and (in his true Sith form of "Darth Sidious") fomenting a crisis involving the greedy Trade Federation and his own backwater home world of Naboo.

Hasbro's Star Wars Episode I: Senator Palpatine 3.75-inch scale action figure depicts...

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Fardreamer says "This Darth Maul action figure is nicely rendered by Hasbro" about Hasbro Star Wars - Episode I: Darth Maul (Tatooine) with Cloak and Lightsaber

Fardreamer — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 16:41:45 GMT

I've been collecting Star Wars action figures ever since some friends of mine gave me, as my 15th birthday present, the first version of Kenner's Landspeeder vehicle and the original R2-D2 and C-3PO figures over 30 years ago.

For the next seven years I was constantly going on what I now call "figure runs" to such stores as Lionel Play World, Sears, K-mart and the then-new Toys R Us. Every time Kenner released a new 12-figure "collection" of characters from Star Wars, The Empire Strikes Back or Return of the Jedi, I'd be feeling both anticipation and frustration; I wanted them all, but my life was becoming more complicated as I grew older and the responsibilities of college life loomed in my horizon.

By a strange twist of fate, Kenner ceased producing new Star Wars toys in 1985, which was also my freshman year of college. I still liked the figures I had managed to get and was a bit vexed that I had not gotten them all, but my load of classes and my long hours on campus working on...

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Fardreamer says "Long Snoot is a cool figure from The Power of the Force line" about Hasbro Star Wars - The Power of the Force Garindan (Long Snoot)

Fardreamer — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 18:08:38 GMT

In March of 2010, I will not only celebrate my 47th birthday, but I will also mark the 32nd Anniversary of becoming a Star Wars action figure collector.

Since I have been collecting those small replicas of major and minor characters from the six live-action Star Wars movies for over three decades, I have many memories and tales about the good, the bad and the frustrating sides of my hobby.

Because Kenner and its successor Hasbro have made so many action figures, vehicles, playsets and accessory assortments, I do not have a complete Star Wars collection. Not even during the Kenner figures' heyday (1978-1985) did I stand a chance at being a completist; some of Kenner's offerings never enthused me much, and my freshman year of college coincided with the end of the original figures' production run.

One of the vexing things about collecting Star Wars action figures and knowing the movies backwards and forward was knowing that Kenner had ignored certain characters - both major and minor...

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Fardreamer says "Fiction permeates plot of otherwise good Bridge at Remagen" about The Bridge at Remagen

Fardreamer — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 18:01:03 GMT

If you have ever watched cable television's History channel even casually, you probably remember that it used to air a series called From Real to Reel, which consisted of a screening of a Hollywood historical movie, with commentary by the show's host and a panel of historians in between the three acts of the movie.

From Real to Reel often focused on war movies, and the discussions nearly always pointed out what the filmmakers had gotten right and (more often than not) what they had gotten wrong either because they had not researched the topic well or because they distorted or fictionalized too many elements of the "story" to make the movie more entertaining.

Whether or not History ever aired an episode of From Real to Reel centered on The Bridge at Remagen I have no clue, but given the fact that it is a fact-based movie about one of World War II's most dramatic episodes, I would be surprised if it had not done so.

What It's About:

If you have read - however casually - any general history...

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Fardreamer says "Though not a cure for bad dandruff, Herbal Essences does help" about Clairol Herbal Essences Anti-Dandruff Shampoo

Fardreamer — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 18:30:40 GMT

Before my present doctor suggested that I switch to Nizoral A-D and/or Neutrogena T-Gel Anti-Dandruff shampoos, I used Clairol Herbal Essences' Anti-Dandruff Shampoo. Ever since I was 12 I have noticed I have a really bad case of dandruff; sometimes the itching and flaking is so maddening that I'll drop whatever I am doing and go wash my hair.

Over the past 34 years, I have used several major brands, including Selsun Blue and various variations of Head and Shoulders. Some of them relieved the itch and flaking, others just diminished the symptoms but required almost daily use with little or no change in my scalp's condition.

Before I switched brands a few years ago, I always tried to get Herbal Essences' Anti-Dandruff formula for oily hair, but when that was out of stock, the iris-chrysanthemum-mulberry root "For All Hair Types" shampoo suited my needs.

Used in conjunction with Herbal Essences' Anti-Dandruff Conditioner, this amazingly gentle shampoo did seem to alleviate some of the...

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vivasuzi says "It's cute, and definitely keeps me warmer at work!" about Covington Sport Microfleece Jacket

vivasuzi — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 17:51:39 GMT

I went to Sears looking for a cardigan with the intent to get a large warm cardigan for work. My building is usually freezing, but sometimes it is warm so I don't like to wear a sweater every day. Instead, I wanted a cardigan I could leave at work for times when it gets really cold. After looking at the cardigan's at sears, I was having no luck. Many of them were 3/4 sleeves and others were the holey material that didn't look too warm. Luckily I walked a little further and found the Covington Sport Microfleece Jacket in the Misses section.

The Covington Sport Microfleece Jacket is cute and that is the first thing I noticed. It seemed like something I would wear and I was drawn to it as soon as my husband pointed it out to me. I instantly handed him my coat and purse so I could try one on. I felt warmer the instant I put it on and knew that this is what I needed for those chilly days at work!

The Jacket is very soft and made of 100% polyester. This is so comfortable that I feel...

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RudiXeno says "TRESemme Moisture Rich Conditioner: Effective & Affordable" about TRESemme European Conditioner, Vitamin E Moisture Rich, Dry or Damaged Hair

RudiXeno — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 13:37:54 GMT

"Oh, and don't forget to pick up some hair conditioner", the lovely Mrs. Xeno calls after me as I leave the house to pick up a few small items at the store. So, I realize that this $10 - $15 trip could easily reach $30 or more. Veronica and our daughter Jenna really do love their conditioners. In fact, 12 year-old Jenna can empty a bottle of conditioner faster than any female I have ever known. If only I had left the house a few moments earlier!

Given my druthers, I'd return from the store with a bottle of Suave or White Rain for about $2 or less. Having a background in chemistry and being very familiar with the ingredients of shampoo and conditioner I can assure you that the difference between the $2 bottle and the $20 bottle is largely in your head, not on your head. But this is not an argument I've often been successful selling to either my wife or 3 daughters.

But then there's TRESemme

For some reason, if I return with a 32 oz. bottle of TRESemme (about $4) I receive no...

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Fardreamer says "This Dove liquid soap gets this reviewer's vote of confidence!" about Dove Nutrium Essential Nutrients Body Wash

Fardreamer — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 20:21:51 GMT

Having been around the block for over 40 years now, I've used all kinds of soaps and skin care products to be somewhat qualified to review them.

For instance, I can say that I've never been fond of bar soaps, not even from good brands such as Dial, Irish Spring or Zest. They do clean well and leave me smelling nice and fresh after a nice hot shower, but I hate how bar soap dissolves with the passage of time into a gooey, slippery mess that slips from my fingers and falls onto the baththub/shower floor.

I'm also not too keen on sharing bar soaps; call me paranoid, but some things, like skin care products, are best in liquid form and not in any other. I'm not a germophobe like TV's Monk, but I believe liquid soaps are more hygienic than bar soaps.

Fortunately, my mom, who shares a house with me and now needs constant company due to her age and frail health, likes liquid soap because there's less waste and more hygiene.

And although we've used various brands, including Lever 2000, we...

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Fardreamer says "Brokaw's The Greatest Generation is vivid and readable " about Tom Brokaw - The Greatest Generation

Fardreamer — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 17:18:57 GMT

There is, in American culture and its language, a seemigly unerring penchant for the use of hyperbole and terms such as The Best of...The Most Popular...and The Greatest to promote, sell or attempt to sway people in some form or another.

You've probably seen at least a few "Greatest Movies" or "Greatest Sports Figures" lists in the course of watching television, browsing the Web or reading the newspaper. If you're into politics, doubtlessly you've seen lists of historians' "Greatest Presidents" lists and watched, bemusedly perhaps, as changes in the political mood of the country move certain names up and down depending on what party the Chief Executives were from or what policies they tended to favor.

And ever since the late 1990s, when director Steven Spielberg's Saving Private Ryan and Tom Brokaw's The Greatest Generation burst into the American cultural landscape, the moniker of Brokaw's book has been attached to the men and women who lived through the Great Depression of the 1930s...

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Fardreamer says "Orange Clean Cleaner is a must-have housecleaning product!" about Orange Clean Cleaner

Fardreamer — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 16:47:55 GMT

Ever since my mom and I moved back to the U.S. after living abroad for several years, I've been doing household chores from age nine until the present day.

At first, my one job was vacuuming, a choree I liked better in our previous home because that house had only one story while this one has two floors. (Even that did not faze me at first, but when we moved here I was a couple of weeks shy of my 15th birthday and now I'm three times that age.)

However, with the passage of time and with my mom's health in decline, Your Humble Correspondent is now responsible for much, if not all, of the housekeeping chores.

One of the stark realities of housekeeping is that it's a job that would drive Hercules crazy -- you can work long hours wiping, mopping, scouring, vacuuming, dusting, and picking up things and still find some speck of dirt on the floor or a new grease stain on a counter. Let's face it, keeping a home clean and sanitary is a never-ending and often thankless job, but it...

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RudiXeno says "GE Dimmable Compact Fluorescent Flood Lamp: Not quite there yet" about GE Dimmable Compact Fluorescent Flood Lamp

RudiXeno — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 13:48:07 GMT

Over the last few years I've converted most of our lamps and lighting fixtures over to Compact Fluorescent Lights. With the exception of a small number of ornamental lights and lights controlled by dimmer switches, the conversion is almost complete. The savings, in terms of our electric bill are both noticeable and impressive. And, of course there is that intangible reward knowing that I'm doing something good for the environment.

So several months ago when I got the opportunity to try convert the few remaining R40 Floodlamps with GE's Dimmable Compact Fluorescent Floods I didn't hesitate.

GE Dimmable Compact Fluorescent Flood Lamp

Theses CFL Floods appear virtually identical to any other and comfortably fit any high-hat meant to accept an R40 bulb. At 1300 lumens, they provide just a bit less light at full brightness than the 100W bulbs they are replacing. They consume just 26W of electricity rather than the normal 90 - 100W of a conventional incandescent flood.

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RudiXeno says "PowerShot Forward Action Heavy-Duty Stapler: Easier on your hand" about PowerShot Forward Action Heavy-Duty Stapler

RudiXeno — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 18:08:17 GMT

One of the most useful tools for any homeowner to have is a heavy duty stapler. Chances are you can find one in your garage or basement. For many years, Arrow Brand has led the market in this type of tool. Big and chrome plated, I have a couple hanging on the wall.

My only complaint about the Arrow model is that it's awfully tough on your hands after a couple hours of use. Following an accident a few years ago in which I hurt my hand I knew I needed an alternative.

On a trip to The Home Depot I found what I was looking for in the PowerShot Forward Action Heavy-Duty Stapler. It featured an updated design that promised to be less fatiguing. The trigger mechanism was forward-action rather than the usual rear-action mechanism utilized in the standard Arrow design.

This design is considerably easier on your hands since you have the weight of your body to help firing a staple. If you look at the product photo, this advantage is immediately obvious.

PowerShot Forward Action Heavy-Duty...

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Fardreamer says "Stephen King's Storm of the Century is effective TV chiller" about Storm of the Century

Fardreamer — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 16:11:54 GMT

In 1999, the ABC TV network, which has been "home" to best-selling author Stephen King's made-for-television movies and miniseries, aired Stephen King's Storm of the Century, which King wrote as an original "Novel for Television" rather than as an adaptation of an existing published work, tells the story from the point of view of Mike Anderson (Tim Daly), a grocery store owner and constable on Little Tall Island, which lies off the coast of Maine. It's some time in the late 1990s, and Mike is clearly recalling the traumatic events of the fateful arrival of Andre Linoge (Colm Feore) on the island just as a series of weather systems converge off the East Coast to form a Perfect Storm type of natural disaster.

For the residents of Little Tall, the so-called Storm of the Century is the least of their worries, because the mysterious Linoge isn't as unassuming as he looks. In fact, he makes his presence known by brutally killing the elderly Martha Clarendon (Rita Tuckett), taking away her walker...

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RudiXeno says "Husky Extension Ladder Bumpers: Protects your walls and siding" about Husky Extension Ladder Bumpers

RudiXeno — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 12:38:01 GMT

Most homeowners that do any of their own work around the house probably own an extension ladder. When you need to get up high they are indispensible.

But, while it's hard imagining doing without an extension ladder, they all seem to suffer from one common drawback. They can damage your walls or siding.

When using an extension ladder, its base is generally placed a few feet from the wall and the ladder is allowed to lean against the wall. that of course means that as you climb the wall, all the weight is beared by the base, and the top of the ladder resting on the wall. Although most ladders have plastic end pieces, they are usually a hard plastic and not very protective. One very practical solution to this problem is the use of removable bumpers that fit over the top ends of your extension ladder. For years I've used Husky Extension Ladder Bumpers.

Husky Extension Ladder Bumpers

These bumpers are simply thick, durable plastic covers that slip over the top end edges of your...

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