Reviews by greyback

greyback says "Tons of fun in a small package!" about Nintendo DS - Nintendo DS Lite Console

greyback — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 18:31:08 GMT

I balked when my wife said that she wanted to purchase the Gameboy DS Lite. We had a Gameboy advance that we both used for killing time while waiting for appointments. With her birthday money, we purchased one at a Black Friday sale. What were we waiting for!

This is an excellent product, huge improvement over the Advance. The screen is big, bright and easy to see. Rechargeable battery lasts for hours of gameplay. Tons of new puzzle games keep us both busy, and we don't mind having to wait at the Doctor's, dentist, or DMV!

This is a must have if you have children, especially on trips.

Only drawback that I have been able to see is the potnetial for the sylus to scratch up the touch screen. Be sure to invest in some of the screen covers. After two weeks of solid play, we are looking to replace the screen protector...can not imagine what would have happened had we not used the screen protector. They are only a few bucks, buy plenty!

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greyback says "Fine for most projects" about Rust-oleum Painter's Touch Multi-Purpose Latex Paint

greyback — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 15:06:00 GMT

Rust-Oleum usually makes excellent paint, so when I was looking at the hardware store for a half pint of gloss black paint to touch up a yard sign a work, I grabbed the can of Painter's Touch Multi-Purpose Latex Paint. The can stated that this latex was indoor/outdoor long lasting paint on wood, metal and more. The price was $2.00 less that the Valspar wood paint that I usually use. I shoulda bought the Valspar.

The paint looked good when stiring, and applied well to the wooden sign. Cleanup was simple (as it is with all latex paints). I checked out the sign a couple weeks later and noticed paint flaking off the sign. Thinking it was a new flake, I scraped, primed and reapplied the Rust-Oleum. A few weeks later, same problem. The stuff just is not sticking to the wood as promised on the can.

Needing to use up the paint, I have tried appling it to a metal lamppost without success as well. I can not really recommend the product, but I can't dismiss it either, as it may just...

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greyback says "Excellent enamel for lettering and other fine paint projects" about Plasti-kote Brush On Odds and Ends fast dry enamel

greyback — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 14:57:06 GMT

I used this Plasti-kote Brush On Odds 'n' Ends fast dry enamel paint for a parade float this past summer. The paint boasts that it is safe and easy to use, and leaves no brush strokes when used on wood, glass, metal, paper, raw wood, foam, and other paintable surfaces. I pretty much painted all of those working on the float. This paint was an excellent adhering one, that is not only weather durable, but wear durable as well. The small glass jar containing 2 fluid ounces of buttercup yellow was just the stuff for the lettering on the foam core and the cardboard props on the float. Cleanup was pretty much toss the brush as this stuff is oil based and refused to come out of the cheap-o brush that we were using for the project.

I have since used the leftover paint for other lettering projects on a variety of surfaces and each time it has been one coat and done. No brush strokes left behind. I recommend this paint for all your crafting needs!

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greyback says "Excellent paint for your woodworking crafting needs" about Valspar Premium Decorator Enamel

greyback — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 14:50:20 GMT

When I was nominated to make the trophies for a contest I was certain this would be an easy job. For a halloween contest candy corn trophies made sense, so with cut out luan sheets of candy corn I sought paint for the finishing touch. Valspars Premium Decorator enamel line of paints fit my need perfectly. The one half pint cans of latex gloss paints came in the colors that I needed and in the size that was most economical for the project. The paint adhered well to the plywood tropies and needed minimal second coats...admirable considering that I did not prime the wood before painting.

Paint says it is for indoor and outdoor uses...I can not speak to the claims, but I can tell you that if you need to make tropies that you can mark over the top of the paint, this is the stuff you want. Dry time was quick, about 1 hour, and it was ready for touch up. 24 hours later the paint was set hard and ready for the labeling work.

Cleanup was with soap and water as most latex paints are....

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greyback says "Worth every penny" about Whole House Fan AirScape 1.7 Horse Whole House Fan

greyback — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 14:14:06 GMT

I sought a soulution for our hot second floor, one that did not involve cranking up the air conditioner. A quick internet search turned me on to a whole house fan, but I was concerned about cutting a hole in the ceiling and letting the warm air out of the living area in the winter months. AirScapes model 1.7 Whole House Fan solved my problems.

The fan doors are luvered and insulated preventing heated air from escaping the living area in the winter months. When turned on (via remote control!) the luvers open and the fan kicks on, drawing the warm humid air out of the house and pulling the cool outdoor evening air in. This past summer (though cooler than the past few summers) I only ran the AC for two nights to rid the humidity in the house. The whole house fan draws out the hot air in just one hour on high setting, and the low setting makes sure you have a cool breeze to sleep by all night. The fan is NOT noisy like some other models. In addtion, the AirScape unit features...

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greyback says "Heavy duty hedge trimmer " about Craftsman 20" Professional Brushhog

greyback — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 14:01:58 GMT

Look no further than the Craftsman Professional 20 inch electric hedge trimmer. This heavy duty Sears product tears through your bush trimming projects. I have used my model for nearly 10 years now and I have had no problems with it. Blades are sharpened every other year and I always oil the blades before using. It is a heavy trimmer, but you acutally spend less time trimming as you are usually able to trim the tops of most bushes in one pass over the top.

The Craftsman features the cord lock system for this electric trimmer. It is a nice idea, but it rarely works. The channel that the cord is meant to snap into is too narrow to be easily used, so I just tie a knot in the cord around the handle near the plug to keep the motor running.

Variable speed trigger works great, especially when you are trying to be gentle on boxwoods and other small bushes. Really ramp it up and you can cut branches of up to 1/2 inch in diameter.

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greyback says "Super way to find fun and save money" about The Entertainment Book

greyback — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 13:54:19 GMT

So I recieved an email offer a few weeks back through MYpoints to buy the latest Entertainment book, in my case, for NW Ohio edition. This is one of the best investments that I have made all year. While my wife is unemployed, it has given us the opportunity to go out to eat with all the BOGO offers for local resturants. The shopping coupons are excellent as well. Lots of $5.00 of 20 or 30 dollar purchases at stores we actually use.

What really makes the purchase of the book great is the addition of the entertainment website. Here you can type in the store type, and a zip code and look up coupons for that area. As I travel frequently for work, this has been a very valuable website and has allowed me to save a little over $100 in the short one and one half months that I have had the book and web access.

I highly recommend buying a copy of your local Entertainment book, as it is a valuable resource for anyone. I have noticed a couple reviewers did not like the BOGO offers...just...

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greyback says "A Rake works better than this pile of junk" about Toro 51573 Leaf Blower

greyback — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 13:40:59 GMT

So we bought the Toro 51573 Leaf blower as we live in the city and near a lot of cottonwood trees. Tons of leaves fall in our yard and we figured that the Toro leaf blower would help with blowing the leaves either over the ravine in our yard or by blowing into a pile and then bagging for compost. Wow, I have never seen or used such a pile of junk in my life. I may as well pick up each leaf by hand and move it. The blower lacks the power to move leaves into a pile, and the sucking attachment is useless.

Our yard is a slope, so perhaps that had something to do with the lack of performance, but I was attempting to blow the leaves down the slope, rather than up the hill. In addition, the blower could not blow out even the driest leaf(s) out of our perrenial gardens....hostas and ferns! Big leaves, small leaves, and everything in between just lay on the ground or move a few inches!

The only postive thing I have found for this blower is to "sweep" out the garage and driveway with it!

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greyback says "Works well and produces great icecream!" about CuisinArt Ice Cream Maker - ICE 20

greyback — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 13:31:50 GMT

So when my wife said that she'd like to try and make icecream at home, I started researching my options. I was drawn to the CuisinArt ICE 20 as it had some excellent reviews. Now there are bigger and better models of icecream makers out there, but if you are just "playing" around with making ice cream this is the way to go.

Makes an excellent churned icecream with little work, and the cleanup is remarkably easy. You pour in the batter, plug it in, and check on it occasionally. Two things to remember though...one is that you MUST freeze the chiller bowl for at least 4 hours before starting the project. Overnight is better. Second, MAKE SURE YOU DO NOT OVERFILL. Ignore the fill line...less is more in this case as the icecream batter will expand as it freezes. I learned this the hard way.

Cleanup is easy, though I recommend washing this one in the sink rather than risking it in the dishwasher.

Another excellent CuisinArt product!

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greyback says "The authentic grilling experience" about Weber Charcoal Grill

greyback — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 13:24:30 GMT

Looking for the authentic grilling experience? Ditch the gas grill and pick up one of these! Weber makes products that are built to last...I recieved this one as a housewarming present nearly 10 years ago and the thing is showing no signs of wearing down. Operation is easy, to adjust the heat, simply spin the air intakes on the top and bottom. By controlling the temp, you can cook anything and everything from traditional backyard favorites like hamburgers and hot dogs, to my personal favorites pizza and turkey. The 23" cooking area is big enough for whatever you wish to tackle on your grill. Cleanup is a breeze, with ash tray catching all the crud from the grilling and charcoal.

I highly recommend this Weber product!

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greyback says "Best Razor for the price!" about Gillette Venus Razor For Women

greyback — Tue, 05 May 2009 15:45:03 GMT

I guess that this is confession time...A year ago I ran out of my usual razors when my last Bic disposable fell in the shower and broke. I needed to shave and all I could find was the new container of razors, Venus by Gillette, that my wife had purchase. I gave them a try and they were the best razor that I'd ever used.

Nice wide handle makes them easy to hold in the shower. Triple blades are set wide apart, which makes cleaning out the stubble between the blades super easy. There is a mositerizing strip as well, that works so so. The blades stay nice an sharp for a long time...longer tah men's razors it seems. A pack of these babys will last you 4 + months!

So the moral of the story guys is why suffer through your wife stealing your razor, steal hers! You may get an odd look at the checkout counter, but the shave that your gonna get with the Gillete Venus is exceptional!

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greyback says "Outstanding tool" about Makita 6349DWDE 1/2inch drill/driver

greyback — Tue, 05 May 2009 15:36:43 GMT

This is the tool that you need as a new home owner. It does everything you need. Screws...no problem. Drilling...easy as pie. Bore a hole...does it for you now. The batter lasts for ever it seems. I put together a deck with screws on one charge of a battery. What is really nice is the clutch feature of the drill. Set it correctly and the drill will make it so that you do not strip out the screws or over tighten.

The drill driver came with an attachable handle to help you hold the drill for extened work. The drill also has a hook so that you can hang it off your tool belt. Comes with two bits as well for driving. Keyless chuck. Carrying case holds the drill, two batteries and the charger.

The only drawback is the weight of the drill. You will definately build your muscles using the drill. It weighs about 10 pounds. and makes for hard work if you are hanging a ceiling fan like I used it for one afternoon.

All in all the best drill you'll use.

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greyback says "Fair paint, but could be better" about Valspar Lowes Premium Interior

greyback — Tue, 05 May 2009 15:26:56 GMT

When we purchased our new house, we knew immedeately that we would need to repaint. Who the heck paints an interior in flat pink toned paint? Every time you touched our walls a mark was left. We got a coupon in the mail from Lowes for a gallon of free Valspar paint.

We did have some coverage problems with the paint, but I think that was more of a problem with the contractor of the house not priming the walls correctly. The color pallet we selected was nice, the paint went on well. It only took two coats.

Best of all...no more smudge or finger prints on the walls! The paint cleans with soap and water. Color match is no problem with the experts at Lowes.

Trying to save money, check out the mistints of the Valspar as well. We did one room with the mistint and it worked just as well as the other Valspar we got for free.

Try it out...certainly as good if not better than Sherwin Williams paint, and at a cheaper price!

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greyback says "The best dandruff shampoo hands down" about Pantene 2 in 1 Anti-Dandruff

greyback — Tue, 05 May 2009 14:34:33 GMT

This is the absolute best anti-dandruff shampoo ever...and trust me I think that I have tried them all. Panteen was recommended by my wife, as she uses it on a regular basis. What makes it so great is the fact that it does not dry out your scalp like some of the other dandruff shampoos. Furthermore, the conditioner is in there as well.

I can skip a day while using Panteen, which I could not do using stuff like Head and Shoulders or Nutregiena.

It leaves my hair feeling good. Not oily, nor dry. The Dandruff is gone. I am a runner and I take quite a few showers a day, Panteen leaves me feeling good, not dry or oily.

Good value for the money as well. Usually can get two bottles on sale for about seven dollars. Coupons are a good bet as well. The only real drawback about the shampoo is the fact that it can be hard to find on the store shelves. I find it regularly at Kmart, sometimes at Walmart. Thank god my local store will order it for me when I can;t find it!...

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greyback says "Good Life Insurance Policy" about Ameriprise

greyback — Tue, 05 May 2009 14:27:10 GMT

Once upon a time, I had a wad of cash that I needed to invest. At the time, I was at an American Express investment office and the agent talked me into a life insurance policy that offers whole life with an investment portfolio that will help to inflate the life insurance policy. For about 125 a quarter, this policy ensured that my heirs would have 100k of benifits. Good deal I figured so I signed up. Time passed and now that policy is part of the Ameripise system. I am still happy with the policy, as it gives me peace of mind should something happen to me. I know that my wife will have some dollars to work with. Online access is a breeze. Just log in, see your current account status, pay your bill, or make change to your benificary(ies). Had to be medically underwritten, but that just was the signing of a couple papers to let them access your medical records and then a ten minute phone interview....

greyback says "Been my insurance company for my auto since I began driving" about State Farm

greyback — Tue, 05 May 2009 14:20:45 GMT

State Farm is truly a good neighbor. I have used them since I was 16 to insure my fleet of vehicles...yes I said fleet...I get a fleet discount! There are discounts for everything. Homeowner's policy + auto = discount.

Awsome customer service as well. Two years ago I hit a deer. I stopped by the local agents office to drop off a copy of the police report and by the end of the day, the adjustor had inspected my car, cut a check for the towing, and authorized the repairs to my vehicle. IN ONE DAY...6 SHORT HOURS. It was great!

Need a quote, call the office. Need to change an auto from storage to road coverage, call the office! NO HASSLE!

State Farm also wrote coverage for my home. Again, no problems here with the coverage. Never had to make a claim (knock on wood), but if I run into a question, I just call the agents office, and he gives me the answer asap!

Billings are great, as they ebill me to my bank, and I cut the check via my banks online billpay.

I highly...

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greyback says "Best way to get your own health insurance!" about Blue Cross / Blue Shield

greyback — Tue, 05 May 2009 14:13:03 GMT

Over a year ago, my wife lost her health insurance through work. We were offered the opportunity to pick up the cost of the policy on our own...no way at over $400.00 per person per month. We knew we needed coverage and I started researching. BCBS of MI offered what we needed at a decient price. As the insureor of last resort in MI, we did not have to fill out medical histories, or become subject to medical testing and then have to worry if our policy would be underwritten.

I selected a catostropic policy that will work with an HSA. The policy is less than $200 a month...pretty affordable coverage for us at this point in our lives. The insurance also covers well visits, so our yearly checkups are paid for. There is some precription drug coverage as well (and it is better than the cash discount that I got a the pharmacy)!

Billing is monthly, and can be paid via paper check or by setting up a auto pay through BCBS. The website is easy to navigate and lets you know how...

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greyback says "It is what it is" about MBNA - Platinum Mastercard

greyback — Tue, 05 May 2009 13:57:38 GMT

This is the card that I got in College many moons ago. I still have it and I still use it, though I am not sure why. Force of habit I guess. Plus it has my college's groovy logo on it.

MBNA was bought out by Bank of America a few years ago, with no noticable changes to the service that I recieved.

I was a tad angered when they kept increasing my credit limits back in the late 1990's without my concent. The Platnium Mastercard was the ever growing credit limit it seemed. Reciently with the credit crunch, the decreased the limit by 1/2, but I could care less. I only use it for airline tickets and gas.

Online bill pay is great, especially now that it is a BOA card. I can just click a couple buttons, and the payoff is set! I would not recommend using any of the stupid paper checks that they send in the statements. They charge a 2.99 per check fee, treat it as a cash advance (thereby charging a higher interest rate), and shorten the grace period for repayment.

All in...

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greyback says "Small town college atmosphere, big world experiences" about Adrian College

greyback — Tue, 05 May 2009 13:51:04 GMT

Adrian College has grown dramatically over the last few years, so some things may have changed since I was there. I looked for a smaller liberal arts school in the State of Michigan and I ended up driving across town to Adrian. As a local, I never thought too much of the College, as it was always there. However, after compairing the schools that I'd selected Adrian offered everything I was looking for at a resonable price.

The faculty really care for thier students. This is the place to go if you are not into the just another number mentality. I often dined at the homes of my professors, took field trips to exotic places, and recieved opportunities to work, intern, and meet professionals that I firmly belive that I would not have had the chance to at other Colleges.

Adrian's alumni base is wide spread in the midwest and it is easy to make connections for later in life. With the recient growth of the college, more and more people are becoming familiar with the quality of...

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greyback says "Authentic Mexican food with a full bar" about The Grasshopper/El Chapulin - Adrian, MI

greyback — Tue, 05 May 2009 13:43:26 GMT

Adrian is blessed with a plethera of Mexican resturants. Chaps as the locals call it, stands out as one of the best in a crowded field. Family owned and operated for over 36 years, it is truly a downtown Adrian landmark.

The bar is stocked for your enjoyment. Maragritas are good, imported beer list is better.

The salsas are homemade and are awsome in flavor. Chips and cheese are a must to start off your dining experieance. Lunch specials are always a good bet here.

Menu is what you'd expect at a Mexican resturant...though there are two dishes that are awsome and I highly recommend. The first is the Alamo plate, which is beef or pork served in gravy with warm flour tortilas. The absolute best dish that they serve...hands down. They also make a mean cowboy bean soup, which is great! Taco, tostadas, burretos, and all the usual fare are here for your enjoyment as well.

Deserts are good as well.

If you are planning a trip to the Grasshopper, make sure you go ahead of...

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