Reviews by Friends of mrkstvns

Katrena says "Waiting for Wings is Vivid, Colorful, and Fun" about Waiting for Wings

Katrena — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 19:13:39 GMT

Waiting for Wings [2001, Harcourt, Inc., ISBN: 0-15-202608-8], by Lois Ehlert, is a 36-page children's picture book about butterflies.

The story:

The book begins with eggs and continues through the life cycle until butterflies emerge amidst the beautiful flowers until they have eggs to lay. The story rhymes and the pages are interesting in that part of the pages are only partial pages and several portions of illustrations are used for multiple pages.

The end of the book shows four different butterflies and how to identify the caterpillar, chrysalis, butterfly, and food for that type. The four butterflies identified are:

buckeye
painted lady
monarch
tiger swallowtail

It also shows the basic parts of a butterfly, a summary of the butterfly life cycle, how butterflies eat, and a guide to identify flowers on which butterflies like to feed.

This book is a little larger than a regular sized book and would work well for small groups if you wanted to read it to several children at once. Its short...

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Katrena says "Just My Style Messenger Bag Is a Fun Craft and Unique Handbag" about Just My Style Messenger Bag

Katrena — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 19:10:47 GMT

Just My Style Messenger Bag is a handbag that has a large fold-over flap with a design that can be colored and decorated. My 8-year-old got this for her birthday, and I think it's one of the cutest and most original ideas for a gift I've seen. My sister, CyndiA, is really good at picking out cool gifts. It is advertised for ages 6 and older.

Because this was a gift, I'm not sure on the price for this product.

What I like about Just My Style Messenger Bag:

It is a fun craft that can be used as an accessory.
It comes with 5 bright permanent markers and 20 peel & stick sparkling stones.
It allows for my child to express herself and create something all her own.
It seems to be made well and looks like it will last.

What I don't like about Just My Style Messenger Bag:

Babies and permanent markers don't mix very well.

My Viewpoint:

Just My Style Messenger Bag is a great gift idea for a child who love to color. It can provide a unique accessory that seems to be durable. I recommend that if you...

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Katrena says "Woolite Foam Carpet Cleaner Gets a Lot of Mileage at My House" about Woolite One Step Foam Carpet Cleaner

Katrena — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 19:00:29 GMT

Woolite One Step Foam Carpet Cleaner gets a lot of use at our house. I have three children. They all have holes in their chins. Food and drink goes in and comes right out the hole. Then there's the artist in the family. Markers show up quite nicely on carpet. You don't even need to try that out...just take my word for it.

Here's what I like about Woolite Carpet Cleaner:

It's easy--just shake the can, point the nozzle and squirt. The can says to let it dry and then vacuum. We just use an old towel and scrub because foam is a great play thing around my house.
It works well on new stains and water soluble markers. I feel your pain if you have old stains or permanent marker artwork on your carpet.
It works quickly.
The bottle says it does not contain CFCs, which deplete the ozone layer.
It has an odor eliminator but doesn't have a strong scent.
Quite a few stores in my area carry it.

What I don't like about Woolite Carpet Cleaner:

It's not cheap but not the most expensive carpet cleaner out...

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Katrena says "I'm Quite Impressed with Dolgencorp Trowel from Dollar General" about Dolgencorp Trowel

Katrena — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 18:58:41 GMT

People who have flower beds usually have a trowel. It looks like a little shovel with a blade about as long as one's hand. It's very hard to find a good trowel at any price. The ones with a handle that is attached to the blade tend to come apart and bend when putting much pressure on them. I happened to see this Dolgencorp Trowel at Dollar General and it only cost $1. I've bought numerous other trowels for more money that weren't nearly the quality that this one is.

What I like about Dolgencorp Trowel:

It's made in one piece so it won't come apart.
It feels quite sturdy and I've put it to the test quite a few times.
It's lightweight--my two-year-old loves this thing and I often have to make a deal with her in order to use it (she isn't impressed with my older one that looks different).
It was a great price at Dollar General.
It is not green. When you leave a green item in a garden that has lots of green foliage, it's not easy to find. This one is primarily black with a little bit of blue....

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bkovacs says "'Gran Torino' is a great ride" about Gran Torino

bkovacs — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 18:49:42 GMT

I think most reviewers get one point wrong about Walt Kowalski, Clint Eastwood's character in Gran Torino. Everyone remarks that Walt is a racist, and he certainly uses strong language that we associate with racial intolerance. However, Walt is more of a "timist" than anything -- his beef is not with the race of the people around him, but the time in which he is living. Walt would prefer to turn back the clock to a time when everything made sense and his beloved 1972 Ford Gran Torino ruled the streets with gas-gulping muscle.

Walt lives in Detroit, in a neighborhood that has just about completely gone ethnic. Gran Torino opens with Walt at his wife's funeral, while the extended Hmung family next door celebrates the birth of a child. Walt fights the changes of time with a string of obscenities and slurs that are actually... well, funny. When Thao (Bee Vang), the timid Hmung teen next door, tries to steal the Gran Torino as part of a gang initiation, Walt stops him with his Korean War...

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Katrena says "Krinkles Truck & People are Fun and Entertaining to Kids" about Krinkles Truck Blocks & 4 People

Katrena — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 18:32:58 GMT

Krinkles Truck Blocks & 4 People comes as a set of 40 interlocking blocks and 4 figures (man, woman, boy, girl) with a krinkle pad on the bottom. These are interesting blocks because they can be stuck together fairly easily and pulled apart to redesign over and over.

What I like about Krinkles truck blocks/people:

Easy to use
Colorful
My kids loved having people to go with it
Cute to have tire-type blocks

What I didn't like about Krinkles truck blocks/people:

My kids like to put people in items and the people would stand on the vehicle but you couldn't have them to sit down
They seem sturdy but they are only recommended for children over 3. If a baby tried to chew on these blocks, the small pegs would probably come loose.
Tires didn't turn

My Viewpoint:

We actually checked this toy out with a toy kit at our Smart Start office. The kids were all drawn right to this particular box and loved to play with it. The 8-year-old and 5-year-old seemed to be able to fit the pieces together pretty...

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Bryan-Carey says "Don't Break the Ice: Simple, Quick Family Game" about Milton Bradley Don't Break the Ice Game

Bryan-Carey — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 16:55:14 GMT

Most every child likes to play games and many great memories are formed when families take time to play games with their children- even if the game is short and simple. One game that fits this definition is Don't Break the Ice, a simple, quick game from Milton Bradley.

Game Commentary:

Don't Break the Ice is a game consisting of multiple pieces that have to be assembled each time the game is played. There are a total of thirty- eight pieces: 32 small "cubes" of ice; one large cube that is equal in size to four of the smaller cubes; one red- colored person wearing skates; and two interlocking sides that form the base in which the pieces of ice are placed; and two mallets. The base has to be snapped together and the pieces of ice squeezed inside the base (while inverted) in order to prepare for play. The last step is to place the plastic skating figure on top of the large block, pressing the skater into place. Players than tap the blocks of ice, one at a time, while trying to avoid having...

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Fardreamer says "Leia and her Ewok rescuer round out the Princess Leia Collection" about Hasbro Star Wars - The Princess Leia Collection: Princess Leia and Wicket

Fardreamer — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 16:41:33 GMT

One of the best things about George Lucas as the creator of "modern mythology" is that when he set out to create the Star Wars and Indiana Jones series, he astutely avoided the "damsel in distress" archetype prevalent in action and fantasy films of the 1970s and 1980s.

Clearly, in Star Wars, he did not dispense with female-characters-in-peril altogether; Carrie Fisher's Princess Leia Organa does get captured by Lord Darth Vader's forces twice in the Classic Trilogy, but Lucas wisely envisioned her as a strong character who often takes charge of the situation. (In a clever twist, it's Leia who has to "rescue" Han and Luke after they bungle the breakout from the first Death Star's detention block.)

And because Lucas intended the Star Wars saga to have universal appeal, it's not surprising that many of the movies' most ardent fans have always been girls and women.

When the Princess Leia and... sets were rolled out in 1997, Hasbro still used the Kenner label on its Star Wars collectibles because...

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ChrisJarmick says "Awful Movies that are less fun than watching paint dry." about Worst Movies Bad Films Part 14

ChrisJarmick — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 14:20:14 GMT

Worst Movies the 14th part in a numbered series of 16. These are not the fun kind of worst movies. Those kind of movies I call baaad movies. These are worthless movies that offer so little to the viewer they will simply suck up your time and make you feel foolish for doing so. Some of these will insult your intelligence, some will appear to offer some good actors, subject matter or something else that might entice you to keep watching.

There are much better choices to make than any of these. Avoid them..

Striptease (1996) Director: Andrew Bergman
Starring: Demi Moore, Armand Assante, Burt Reynolds, Ving Rhames, Robert Patrick, Paul Guilfoyle, Rumer Willis, Frances Fisher

Single mom (Demi Moore) gets a job as a stripper to make money to fight her ex-husband for custody of their child. Burt Reynolds plays a horny congressman and Moore's real-life daughter, Rumer, is the little girl. It wasn't as campy as Showgirls and none of it was very interesting unless you wanted...

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Katrena says "I Feel LIke I Got Hosed at Lowe's With 12 Hour Green Snap Light" about Snap Light 12 Hour Green Glow Stick

Katrena — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 11:14:36 GMT

I purchased this Snap Light 12 Hour Green Glow Stick at Lowe's just before Halloween for $2. It is a green colored glow stick that is packaged separately. Take it out of the package and snap it like you would try to break a stick. This allows the chemicals to mix and produce a green glow. We thought glowing magic wands would work really well with our Flora, Fauna, and Merryweather costumes. In case you haven't heard, they are the three fairies in Sleeping Beauty.

What I like about Snap Light Glow Stick:

It's convenient.
It produces a pretty cool green glow.
It does last for a pretty long while.
It was easy to attach to the wands with a rubber band.
The package says it is safe, non-toxic & non-flammable, but we didn't decide to drink it or place it over a flame to test those claims.
My kids had a blast with them!

What I don't like about Snap Light Glow Stick:

I feel like I got hosed at Lowe's. This thing cost $2. It only lasts for 12 hours. Wal-Mart had another brand in packs of 10 for $4,...

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PattyTherre says "I look like I have rabies when I use this. TOO much foam for me!" about Aquafresh Iso-Active Toothpaste

PattyTherre — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 07:37:27 GMT

Quick View: I received a full sized container of Aquafresh Iso-Active Toothpaste in the Fresh Impact flavor from a program called "She Speaks". It was not sent for me to review, just to use. They send lots of free stuff. I thought I would like this new toothpaste but I don't. It's messy and the dispenser is tough to use. Plus it's pricey and I don't see any difference in the whiteness of my teeth from when I use Sensodyne PRONAMEL Anti-Cavity Fluoride Toothpaste or Sensodyne Extra Whitening Toothpaste and they help my sensitive teeth as well as cleaning and whitening my teeth.

My Take on Aquafresh Iso-Active Toothpaste

This toothpaste comes in an plastic standing tube with a big plastic push down top. The top is tough to manipulate and, when the paste comes out, it's hard to meter how much comes out of the tube. Sometimes a little releases, sometimes a lot. Also, I can't see through the packaging to see how much toothpaste I have left and that bugs me. The dispenser also gets foamy and...

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PattyTherre says "Not enough hydration, weird tint, and wears off too fast!" about Blistex Lip Tone

PattyTherre — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 04:34:54 GMT

Quick View: i have a load of lip balms but always pick up more. I have dry, often times chapped lips so I need a good balm that heals as well as protects. I don't feel Blistex Lip Tone heals at all and it is so thin that it only lasts minutes on my lips. And the tint? Weird!

My Take on Blistex Lip Tone

This balm comes in a Chapstick-like tube and has a brownish tint to it. I think it is supposed to be lip color but my lips are very pink so the tint makes them look brownish. I don't like or need tint in my balms and didn't realize I was buying a tinted balm when I bought this one.

Moving past the color issues, this balm does have SPF 15 in it and the only active ingredients in are sunscreens. It's a nice plus as our lips can and do burn in the sun - summer or winter.

The balm is very thin and somewhat sweet. It smooths on fine but, if I don't look in a mirror when applying, I get that weird tint on the skin around my lips and I look like a kid who has playing in her mother's makeup kit.

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lilsquibb says "Softsoap Hand Soap in a Body Wash Bottle" about Softsoap Nutri Serums Body Wash Moisture-Retaining Omega 3 & 6

lilsquibb — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 03:10:31 GMT

I'm not usually a body wash person, but when I was able to get some samples of the new Softsoap Nutri Serum Body Wash from Bzz Agent, I was more than interested in signing up. At the least if I didn't like it I could give it away to my friend who loves body washes. In my campaign package I received the two versions of the Nutri Serum (the Moisture Retaining and the Restoring w/ Vitamin E). As of yet I've only had an opportunity to try the Moisture Retaining version.

What is this Nutri Serum?

According to the product description the Softsoap Nutri Serum Body Wash is "The first body wash made with softening serum pearls to give you soft and healthy-looking skin." The Moisture Retaining version is in the pink bottle and is made with Omega 3 & 6. The body wash comes in an easy to grip bottle and the sample size came with a flip top. The pictures of the full size bottles look like it has a similar top.

The New becomes the Old

As a clear body wash, (with the floating pink pearls)...

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TheBard says "Love The Rise, the Price,and the Taste" about Krusteaz Honey Cornbread & Muffin Mix

TheBard — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 01:48:11 GMT

Nothing goes better with BBQ ribs and baked beans than freshly baked cornbread coated in rich, creamy butter. I sometimes make my own from scratch, sometimes whip up some Jiffy, but I recently discovered the 15oz. box of Krusteaz Honey Cornbread & Muffin Mix made with real honey.

My Viewpoint

The flavor of Krusteaz Honey Cornbread is not surprisingly, tasty. The honey flavor (honey powder is listed as an ingredient) is mild and not overpowering. The cornbread's texture is moist, not dry like cheaper brands, and almost cake-like. Of course I added my own ingredients to the mix: a teaspoon of nutmeg, and a hint of allspice.

Krusteaz Honey Cornbread is a simple cornbread mix making it easy to prepare. To make the basic recipe, add to the mix is 2/3 cups of milk, 1/3 cup of vegetable oil, and 1 Lg. egg. On the side and back of the box are two more recipes to spice up the cornbread and turn the mix into a full meal; Bacon & Cheddar Mini Corn Loaves anyone?

I highly recommend...

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njchicaa says "Mmmm! I love Wick It Good's Sea Glass candles!" about WickIt Good Sea Glass Candle

njchicaa — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 01:23:27 GMT

As a huge fan of candles, I always come back to a local candle shop, Wick It Good Candles, and their various scents and sizes. I did some Christmas shopping there last week, but also bought a few goodies for myself as I hadn't been there in awhile. I'm so happy that I bought myself one of their Sea Glass scented candles.

If you ask me, WickIt Good Candles Sea Glass fragrance smells like sweet and warm loveliness that just makes me smile every time it hits my nose. According to the company description, though, it is a blend of honeydew, watermelon, and mango. These candles contain 10% fragrance oil (rather than the 4-6% that the major national brands contain) and are very strongly-scented. I love the fact that I can light a WickIt Good Candle and then have a room full of lovely fragrance within 5 or 10 minutes. My most favorite thing about these candles, though, is the fact that they burn so cleanly without ever producing black soot or smoke.

You can buy Sea Glass Candles in...

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njchicaa says "This Logitech Wireless Mouse is inexpensive and easy to install." about Logitech 910-000558 V220 Cordless Notebook Mouse - Brown

njchicaa — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 00:50:14 GMT

When the touchpad on my laptop died last week, it took me awhile to even try to figure out if I was dealing with a virus, a software issue, or busted hardware. This morning my husband brought me the Logitech Wireless Mouse that he uses with his work laptop, and, well, now that I'm able to use this thing again, let's just say that trying to troubleshoot the issue is no longer a priority.

He simply put the mouse down on top of my closed laptop and walked away. There were no instructions, suggestions, or advice given to me. He just passed this Logitech Cordless Mouse off to me and then headed off to work. I'm no computer expert, but I was able to figure out how to remove the little USB port from the bottom, pop it into the laptop, and then get this Wireless Mouse working within like 3 minutes. Seriously, this is Wireless and Cordless Mice for Dummies. If I can do it, anyone can!

At only about $30 for this Logitech Wireless Mouse, you really can't go wrong with it. It is cheap,...

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njchicaa says "Trader Joe's Chunky Beef Dinner is quite the bargain!" about Trader Joe's Chunky Beef Dinner Canned Dog Food

njchicaa — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 23:52:01 GMT

While making the semi-annual trip to Trader Joe's last week, I decided to pick up several cans of their dog food because the foster pups and their momma seemed to be bored with the dry kibble that I've been feeding them. Included in my cart were a few cans of Trader Joe's Chunky Beef Dinner.

I'm not rich by any means, but I do go out of my way and spend the extra money to buy pet foods that don't contain mystery meat, by-products, corn, gluten, etc. This Trader Joe's Chunky Beef Dinner Canned Dog Food fits the bill as the main ingredients include beef, chicken, textured soy protein, animal liver, and a bunch of vitamin/mineral supplements. Aside from the good-quality ingredients, I also love the fact that a giant 22 ounce can of this Chunky Beef Dinner costs only $1.09. A can of a lower-quality food like IAMS or Science Diet costs the same, but it contains by-products *and* the can contains only 12 or 16 ounces.

Most importantly, the foster puppies and their momma absolutely love...

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njchicaa says "A nice shower gel that smells like ginger ale. I don't get it." about Philosophy The Gingerbread Man

njchicaa — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 22:43:39 GMT

When I placed my last Sephora order, I decided to treat myself and buy a couple of new shower gels, including The Gingerbread Man. With the Christmas season approaching, I thought it would be fun to use a gingerbread-scented bath product. Unfortunately, I didn't really get what I was expecting.

philosophy The Gingerbread Man is one of the company's combination products that can be used as shower gel, and/or bubble bath. Because the name of this stuff is The Gingerbread Man, I expected it to smell like, well, gingerbread! Instead, for some bizarre reason, philosophy has given this product a ginger ale fragrance. I honestly don't understand the presto-change-o scent switch-up.

A little goes a long way with this stuff so at $16 per 16 fluid ounce bottle lasts for a very long time which makes the price easier to handle. The Gingerbread Man produces lots of bubbles and lather which makes it an excellent shower gel and bubble bath. philosophy used to sell this kind of product...

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ChrisJarmick says "Worst of the Worst Movies ; Stinkeroos to avoid." about Worst Movies, Bad Films Part 13 of 16

ChrisJarmick — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 21:39:55 GMT

Part 13 of the Worst Movies at your service. These are movies that are worthless wastes of time. If any of them offer a few minutes of entertainment, consider that there are many movies that you probably have not seen, that offer much more. Your investment of time has value...more value than any of these movies will return to you.

Avoid the following:

Shanghai Surprise (1986) Director: Jim Goddard
Starring: Sean Penn, Madonna, Paul Freeman, Richard Griffiths, Philip Sayer, Clyde Kusatsu, Kay Tong Lim

Madonna plays a missionary nurse in 1937 China who hires a dim-witted American fortune hunter (her then-real-life-husband, Sean Penn) to find a stash of stolen opium. She wants the drugs so she can help her patients and get out of China. There's no chemistry between Penn and Madonna and the pacing of the movie is awful, and the dialogue is terrible. George Harrison who was the executive producer of this film said working with the very spoiled Madonna and on this movie was the...

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ChrisJarmick says "Rotten, Lousy, Worthless movies to avoid." about Worst Movies, Bad Films Part 12 of 16

ChrisJarmick — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 20:08:09 GMT

Worst Movies Part 12. Here are several more movies to avoid. They might look like something worth watching but don't be fooled, these movies are a waste of time. Choose something else or read a book, instead. These are not worth your time.

The Postman (1997)
Director: Kevin Costner Starring: Kevin Costner, Will Patton, Larenz Tate, Olivia Williams, James Russo, Daniel Von Bargen, Tom Petty, Scott Bairstow, Roberta Maxwell

Postman is a very very long movie that Costner directed himself. You'd think after Waterworld he would stay away from these post-apocalypse tales.. but no.. In this lousy film he's a survivor who passes himself off as a postman in order to give hope to the ravaged communities left alive in the world. Why didn't he give hope to movie audiences and not make this movie? Story has it, the project was falling apart until he signed onto it originally just to act in it, but then he took on directing the movie. Let's assume Costner had the best of intentions. ...

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