http://www.viewpoints.com/aboutme/louis805 Tue, 04 Mar 2008 17:28:56 GMT Reviews by louis805 http://www.viewpoints.com/Wawa-com-review-4f1a3     By now, I'm sure that most people in the northeast region of the US have been to one of these stores. They are often lumped into a category with independently owned franchise convenience stores like 7-Eleven, but they are quite different. All Wawas are owned and managed by the same company. They get their name from the sound that Native Americans in southeastern Pennsylvania said that the Canadian Goose makes: Wa-Wa. That goose, incidentally is their store logo. —     Each shop has a deli, a coffee station (which is their pride), a grocery section, dairy section (all of which comes from Wawa's own dairy), and miscallaneous snacks, ATMs, newspapers, etc. The staff is always friendly, because the company is aware that people like that "neighborhood store" feeling, and they listen to cutomers and take their feedback very seriously. —     Genrally, the deli food's reasonably priced. It's not the cheapest, but ... Tue, 04 Mar 2008 17:28:56 GMT http://www.viewpoints.com/Wawa-com-review-4f1a3 louis805 4 http://www.viewpoints.com/Jell-O-Sugar-Free-Instant-Pudding-review-29cb2     As a man who's had Type 1 diabetes since 1973, I can easily say this: SUGAR FREE + DESSERTS = USUALLY TASTED AWFUL.  Yeah, aspartame (a la Nutrasweet) was better than saccharin when it came to sugar-free, but it still had an unpleasant flavor.  Now that companies have been using sucralose, a derivative of sugar, us diabetics have been able to celebrate! —     Anyway, enough with the history lesson....  this is about Jell-O pudding!  My mom used to make it for my non-diabetic brother when I was a kid, and I used to sneak it in school.  It has always been a guilty pleasure for me, along with Jell-O gelatin.  The only problem that I have always had, was that it really did a number on my blood sugars.  I picked up a box of the sugar free the other day, and saw that it is now sweetened with Splenda (sucralose) so I bought it...  hey, what can I lose for 65 cents? —     I took it home, read... Fri, 29 Feb 2008 15:43:29 GMT http://www.viewpoints.com/Jell-O-Sugar-Free-Instant-Pudding-review-29cb2 louis805 5 http://www.viewpoints.com/Creative-Technology-Sound-Blaster-Live-24-bit-External-review-01b32     The Soundblaster series from E-Mu/Creative is no stranger to the PC world.  They are often affordable, and the prices-to-features ratio is usually accordingly...... until now.  The Live! 24-bit External USB is Dolby 5.1 Surround compatible.  With coax and s/pdif (for digital recording), and 1/8" analog jacks for microphones, headphones, and line in, it is a tremendous little powerhouse for the price of $49.99 USD. —     Alongside of the input/outputs is the SoundFont sound engine designed by Creative's parent company E-Mu, a significant developer in synthesizers since 1971.  As a songwriter, I can simply say this:  I am not disappointed, in the least.  The piano sounds are believable and the synth sounds are very flexible. — — Bravo, Creative!  Bravo! —     — —... Wed, 27 Feb 2008 02:31:59 GMT http://www.viewpoints.com/Creative-Technology-Sound-Blaster-Live-24-bit-External-review-01b32 louis805 5