Reviews by pitcherday

pitcherday says "Interest in a Kong won't translate to interest in the Tug-A-Jug " about Premier Pet Busy Buddy Tug-A-Jug Interactive Dog Toy

pitcherday — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 03:03:19 GMT

My puppy loves his Red Kong Tuffy. I fill it with Charlee Bear treats and he is entertained for a while rolling the toy around and getting the treats out. Sometimes I feel bad leaving him imprisoned in the bathroom for a few hours while I am out. He has other toys in there, but I don't want him to be bored.

When I saw the Busy Buddy Tug-A-Jug Interactive Dog Toy in the store, I thought it was just the thing for an inquisitive little puppy. The Tug-A-Jug toy is made of high-density see-thru purple plastic. It's shaped like a jug (surprise), and the narrower neck of the jug is a spherical rubber end covered in nubbies, and there is a plastic rope with two balls on the end in the jug. Half of the rope is in the jug, and the other half sticks out, and moves in and out of the jug.

What you do is unscrew the large end of the jug and put treats inside. The screw-on end has holes in it which is supposed to entice the dog to play with it by letting him smell the treats inside. As the dog rolls the...

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pitcherday says "Don't get this expecting a black licorice flavor" about Stash's Licorice Herbal Tea

pitcherday — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 17:18:34 GMT

I really like black licorice once in a while as a treat. It does have a strong flavor which is why I only have a little at a time. I like black licorice ropes, licorice Altoids, and I like things with Anise in them. When I drank liquor, Anisette was a favorite cordial.

So when a co-worker of mine asked if I liked Stash Licorice Tea, I said I had never heard of it and was excited for a new black licorice product! Stash Licorice Tea is made from components from all over the world:

"For our unique Licorice Spice tea we combine the finest licorice root from Europe, cinnamon from Sri Lanka, star anise from China, orange peel from the U.S.and sarsaparilla from South America. The result is a delicious dessert-like tea, good anytime, but especially enjoyable in the evening, as it's caffeine free." (from stashtea.com)

I don't know about you, but those ingredients don't sound like they go together. And from my opinion, they do not. I didn't actually read the box, as I was so excited for a new treat....

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pitcherday says "Beauty Rush lip gloss tastes nice, but cheaper products work too" about Victoria's Secret Beauty Rush Lip Gloss

pitcherday — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 23:53:34 GMT

When I became a Victoria's Secret Angel, I got an e-coupon for A tube of Beauty Rush Lip Gloss... of all of the flavors, I picked Cupquake. Then I got a free Beauty Rush Lip Kit when I made an online order, and yes, I got yet another Cupquake, Strawberry Fizz, and Cherry Bomb.

When you look at the tube, the gloss seems really sparkly. Luckily when you apply it, you don't look like you have glitter on your lips. It does have a nice sheen to it, and the flavors are really yummy. They only give your lips a hint of color, and in the case of Strawberry Fizz - no color at all.

After you apply the Beauty Rush Lip Gloss, your lips do feel kind of sticky. It's been my experience with lip products that if they don't have a sticky feel to them, they rub off right away. That even happens with Chapstick and Carmex, so I don't think it's that big of a deal. This lip gloss does stay on your lips a while, so I consider it a necessary evil.

The Beauty Rush Lip gloss smells nice, is sparkly, gives you a...

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pitcherday says "Slice and chop easily without cutting your hands!" about As Seen On TV Vidalia Slice Wizard

pitcherday — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 06:15:50 GMT

My luck with As Seen On TV products is hit-or-miss. The Vidalia Slice Wizard is a definite hit, the out-of-the-park kind. This makes slicing, dicing, and julienne cutting of vegetables easy and quick!

The Vidalia Slice Wizard is a plastic ramp with a non-skid leg that folds out and holds the slicer at a 45 degree angle. There are two metal cutting blades that come together and form a deep "V" in the middle of the ramp. The slicer comes with five different inserts for the cutting blade: thin julienne, thick julienne, thick slicing, thin slicing, and medium slicing. It also comes with a safety insert to place in the blades for storage, comes with a safety holder to hold the item being sliced, and a storage rack to hold all of the different slicing inserts.

The safety holder is bell shaped and has a plunger with sharp prongs on it. You stick the fruit or vegetable onto the prongs and your hands are protected from the sharp slicing blades. There are arrows on the safety holder to show you how...

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pitcherday says "Say goodbye to the arms-length self portrait!" about Sunpak - Platinum Plus FlexPod Gripper

pitcherday — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 04:52:58 GMT

I have a metal camera tripod. I have had it forever and use it for my heavy 35mm film SLR Camera. Now I have a little Fuji FinePix Z20 fd point and shoot digital camera. Why forgo the convenience of having a pocket sized camera by lugging around an unwieldy, heavy traditional tripod? I, for one, do not like giving strangers my camera and asking them to take a snapshot of us (that is whoever I want in the shot with me). If someone takes off with your film camera, they take - what? 24 photographs and the money you invested in the camera? Most people (myself included) keep a bunch of snapshots on their digital camera's memory card. Now hundreds of pictures and your entire trip's memories are gone. So, if you don't trust people with your camera, you are stuck with the arms-length self portraits, or not having some person in the frame with you.

That is, until you purchase the Sunpak Platinum Plus FlexPod Gripper tripod. This is a tripod with flexible legs and self leveling feet. It's lightweight...

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pitcherday says "Amazingly strong repositionable safety bar for the bath" about As Seen On TV Get A Grip Safety Bar

pitcherday — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 03:35:03 GMT

I'm a bath taker. I only take showers when I am on a time crunch. I rent the townhouse I live in now, and there are no handles, ridges, bars of any type to help me get out of the bathtub! The bottom of the tub is smooth too. It used to be difficult to get out of the tub for me. I was in Walgreens and saw this As Seen On TV Get A Grip safety bar, and it wasn't too expensive, so I decided to give it a shot.

I have never had any long-term luck with anything with suction cups on it. It doesn't matter what I do, the cups lose their sticking power relatively easily, and that's with a shower scrubby attached, never mind a person weighing over 100 pounds using it as the only leverage to get out of a tub.

These are not your ordinary suction cups. First, make sure you clean and dry the surface (horizontal or vertical) you want to stick the Get A Grip safety bar on. It looks like an old-fashioned telephone, and on both ends are levers. When the levers are up, the suction cups are not engaged. Place...

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pitcherday says "Awesome on my super sensitive teeth!" about Sensodyne iso-active Foaming Gel

pitcherday — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 03:09:30 GMT

My teeth are really really sensitive due to a medication I am on. I have always used the Sensodyne line of tooth care products. Even though my teeth still were painful during brushing, there was much less pain compared to other toothpastes, even the all-natural ones and plain baking soda (bleck!).

Last week I decided to try a new toothpaste in the Sensodyne line. Previously, I was using Sensodyne Pro-Namel, which worked fine, but I decided to try out Sensodyne iso-active foaming gel toothpaste with whitening. I am never going back to any other toothpaste, including the other Sensodyne products.

This tooth gel comes in a metal can with a nozzle on top similar to shaving cream. It looks like normal tooth gel, but when you start brushing, it turns into a light foam. I can brush my teeth as hard as I want and they don't hurt using the Sensodyne iso-active foaming gel. Another *great* feature of this is the taste... there is hardly any taste to it!

I never thought I'd have an easy time brushing...

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pitcherday says "I believe in miracles! (you sexy thing)" about Victoria's Secret Miraculous Push-Up Bra

pitcherday — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 01:13:33 GMT

This Victoria's Secret bra just came out! Honestly, I wasn't even going to try it on. When I walked into the store, the sales lady said: "have you tried our new Miraculous Push-up bra? It adds TWO cup sizes, and shapes you instantly." I told her that no, I did not wish to look like an E cup. You should see this bra! The padding in it is totally crazy! It looks completely outrageous. It's level 5 on the 1-5 level push-up scale at Victoria's Secret.

Come on, I was in the store... why not try on the Victoria's Secret Miraculous Push-up bra? So, I did. What you see in the mirror really doesn't jibe with how crazy the padding looks. I was expecting it to look ridiculous, and make "the girls" look fake. Have you seen the commercials for it on the TV? I am thinking those girls must be around a B-cup to get the dramatic look they have. Since I am already a D-cup, that would probably edge me into Dolly Parton territory, right? No.

The cups are memory foam. So, if you're heavier up there the padding...

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pitcherday says "Easily the best solution for listening & not waking your partner" about C. Crane Company - SoftSpeaker Pillow Speaker

pitcherday — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 21:04:21 GMT

When I bought my CC Radio Plus, I also bought the SoftSpeaker Pillow Speaker with it. Not so impressed with the radio, but I love, love, love this pillow speaker! It's really innovative and I have never seen another one like it anywhere.

If you want to listen to the radio in bed, but your partner is not too keen on the noise, this SoftSpeaker Pillow Speaker is for you. It's a speaker phone inside foam and covered with a removable, washable, fuzzy blue soft cover. It's only $19.99 on the website, which is cheaper than the earbuds for my iPod, and this has lasted a whole lot longer than those did.

Since it's a speaker in a pillow, you just lay with one ear on it, and you can hear the radio without bothering your partner. the foam inside the speaker pillow is soft and probably will conform to any ear or pillow. You can keep the volume of the radio low, but in my experience, even when I didn't have my ear right on the speaker and turned the volume up a little, it was not loud enough to disturb...

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pitcherday says "For me, there is no better drama than the classic Route 66" about Route 66: Producer's Picks

pitcherday — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 05:06:26 GMT

OK, look... some people get lost in science-fiction, graphic novels, role-playing games, rom-coms, whatever... I love the whole "American ideal" kind of a thing... you know, like Rosie the Riveter, and victory gardens, and the innovativeness and indomitable spirit that is uniquely American. The actual highway US Route 66, was an American icon and the pieces of it that remain hearken back to a time when families could afford to go on long road trips with their families in gas-guzzling cars that had a seating capacity of 20 or so. Mom and Pop motels and diners thrived along the route. People sometimes say "that was a better time..." It probably actually wasn't but since I wasn't born then, it's fun to think about.

That being said, the television series Route 66 aired from 1960-1964 on CBS. How did I become acquainted with it? Way back when cable television first made its debut, the channel Nickelodeon aired children's programming during the day, then at 7pm, it changed from Nickelodeon to...

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pitcherday says "Royalty free images are my choice for avatars" about 123 Royalty Free - Stock Image and Photo Subscription

pitcherday — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 04:06:03 GMT

I like to have an avatar for every mood. For pictures for reviews, I do use Google Image Search to make it easier on me there. However, I don't like downloading pictures randomly off sites, or peoples' flickr accounts or from their blogs or wherever else I may come across them. Even if someone took out their $50 digital camera and shot it through the windshield, I do not feel right using other peoples' images without their consent and referencing their origin somehow.

I worked in the marketing department for a major fitness equipment manufacturer, and it was there that I learned about stock photography images. Professional photographers use their skills and talent with the express purpose of sale and widespread distribution. They sell the rights to their images to companies that then sell them. Usually you are allowed to alter the image or only use just a piece if you wish. Some images are on a royalty basis - if you purchase the image, you need to pay the company a fee or "royalty" for...

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pitcherday says "VS Secret Embrace: You can't live in this bra" about Victoria's Secret Secret Embrace Push-up Bra

pitcherday — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 01:37:59 GMT

This was the first bra I purchased from Victoria's Secret during a recent shopping excursion to the mall. I tried on many bras and I really liked this Secret Embrace push-up bra. I don't think it's too dramatic in the area of pushing up. It's a level 3 and on me, that is pretty normal. This bra is attractive: it comes in many patterns and colors, and the edges are scalloped and super feminine and sexy. The whole bra (except the straps) is made from one piece of fabric, so there are no seams to show through your shirts, even though there is an underwire in there.

I have had this Victoria's Secret Embrace Push-up Bra (also referred to as "The Wave") for six weeks now and it has been relegated to "back-up status." The thing which made it so attractive to me - the one-piece construction - is now the main reason why it's in the back of the drawer. The fabric is soft and stretchy, but it's made in one piece, and it moves in one piece. If you are standing up or in an upright sitting position,...

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pitcherday says "So, why did you get married if you didn't want kids?" about Two is Enough: A Couple's Guide to Living Childless by Choice

pitcherday — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 03:14:54 GMT

I found an interview on aol.com with Laura S. Scott about couples who choose not to have children. My husband and I are one of those couples. From the short interview on the website, it seemed like she had a good perspective and had a good head on her shoulders, but still... I was reluctant to read the book.

I have found that many of these books about the subject of not having children are written almost entirely from an emotional perspective, and geared toward women only. They are usually about a) women who postponed childbearing too long and regretted it, or b) childless people who view themselves as a slighted minority, and are mad at society for it.

When I got this book, and started reading the introduction, I was pleased I bought it, and I knew it would be different from the other literature I had seen on the subject. This book was based on actual research, and while the author (who is herself childfree) does talk in numbers she freely admits that it is not devoid of emotional baggage....

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pitcherday says "I too have been a cog in the wheel" about Office Space

pitcherday — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 03:34:48 GMT

If you have ever sat at a desk in a huge room of gray cubicles, you've probably had an Office Space experience. I loved this movie. I love ironic humor anyway...

The film begins with Peter Gibbons (Ron Livingston) starting yet another day as an IT guy at the Initech company, which is busy fixing code in software for the "Y2K" switch. Moments after he sits down, his boss Bill Lumbergh (Gary Cole) alerts him to the fact that he used the wrong cover sheet on his "TPS Report." He admits the mistake, and said yes, he did get the memo about the new cover sheets. In the next few minutes, two of his other bosses stop by or call him on the phone alerting him to his mistake, and he has to assure them both that yes, he did get the memo. His superiors say they'll get him another copy, even though he is holding the memo in his hand.

This has happened to me. I have been a cog in the wheel and reminded over and over about an insignificant mistake. i couldn't relate to this movie or the cartoon Dilbert...

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pitcherday says "I only buy MP3's on amazon.com and excellent customer service!" about Amazon.com

pitcherday — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 01:45:21 GMT

Oh, the problems I have had with the iTunes store! Even with simultaneous downloading of songs, it is at agonizingly slow dial-up speed. Then, their most downloaded songs started creeping up to $1.29 instead of $.99. By accident, I found out that amazon.com has a huge selection of MP3 downloads!

They have albums on special every day, and a section of "MP3 Albums Under $5.99," they also offer free selections every day, not just one obscure song like on iTunes. I got five free easy listening songs for free at once, and they were popular AM Radio Gold ones. Their selection is just as good as the iTunes store, and many times I can find the $1.29 song on iTunes on amazon.com for $.99.

To download songs to Windows Media Player or iTunes, download the "amazon.com MP3 downloader tool." It is a small program that bridges the website to your music library. You need to follow the instructions on how to set your web browser to enable downloads. It is super easy and my songs download at broadband...

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pitcherday says "Give cheap knives and scissors new life - the easy way!" about As Seen On TV Samurai Shark knife/scissor sharpener

pitcherday — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 04:29:52 GMT

I do lot of cooking. To fillet fish or cut raw meat, you need a sharp knife, otherwise you'll hack it to pieces. However... I don't have the money to invest in super sharp professional knives. I have I guess you would say, low to moderately priced knives in a block. They always need sharpening before cutting anything with precision. What came with the knife block was a textured, long, metal cylindrical thing with a wood handle. This was the knife sharpener. I also have one of these things which is a flat rectangle. They should call those knife ruiners. Unless you get the angle of the knife right and swipe it in one fluid motion keeping that same angle, you will make the knife dull, or end up getting pits in the blade. And you'd better watch yourself with butcher knives. Getting too focused on getting the angle right can make you miss the fact that you are about to slice your hand open. I don't know how anyone uses those things correctly.

How about electric can openers with the supposed...

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pitcherday says "I can't live without the Black & Decker Handy Steamer" about Black & Decker Handy Steamer & Rice Cooker

pitcherday — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 23:44:15 GMT

My cousin's husband works for Black & Decker. I knew I was getting something B & D for my wedding present. I was right. It was the Black & Decker Flavor Scenter handy steamer and rice cooker. I used that for almost every meal that I cooked for nine long years, until all the water started coming out of the bottom all over the counter. I was devastated when he died. How could I cook vegetables, meat, seafood, and rice in a healthy manner anymore? There is no other way to cook spinach or turnip greens!

I went on a hard target search of any store that sold small appliances in the city of Colorado Springs. Yes, I found the exact same one that I got for my wedding! Bliss!

This is a large-capacity food steamer and rice cooker. It has five pieces: The bottom holds the water and has the heating element in it, there is a plastic reservoir piece on top of that which collects the residual moisture left from the steaming. In the middle of that reservoir piece is a circular opening with a screen...

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pitcherday says "KitchenAid pink measuring tools heavy duty, & a charitable twist" about KitchenAid Cook for the Cure Measuring Cups and Spoons Set

pitcherday — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 23:04:49 GMT

I saw these "Cook for the Cure" measuring tools at Lowe's. Since my mother died from breast cancer, I pretty much buy anything pink that donates to breast cancer research. These are made by KitchenAid, which is known for quality appliances. These measuring cups and spoons are really heavy-duty. They are thick, sturdy plastic. Dishwasher-safe and heavy enough that you can put boiling water in them.

There are 4 cups:1/4, 1/3, 1/2 and 1 cup, and 5 spoons:1/4, 1/2 and 1 teaspoon; 1/2 and 1 tablespoon. If anyone reading this can tell me why there is never a measuring cup for 3/4 cup on any set, I'd really like a comment about that. It's a common measurement!

These are on a plastic loop, and that loop has a little loop on it, so you can hang it up! Here's the only thing I don't like: The loops that hold the cups and spoons together have a gap in them so you can remove one cup or spoon at a time. They have a hard clear plastic thing over the gap, presumably so they won't come apart accidentally....

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pitcherday says "The Roper washer needs better temp settings but is adequate" about Whirlpool Roper Heavy Duty Super Capacity Washer

pitcherday — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 22:13:21 GMT

This appliance is a Whirlpool, but it is the Roper brand, which is the lowest quality brand under the Whirlpool name. So, yes, it's cheap, which is probably why my landlord put these in my townhouse. The clothes dryer is a total piece of junk, but this washer is average.

This is another Roper appliance that claims it is heavy duty with an extra large capacity. I don't know what they are comparing this washer to. Maybe those old stacked washer and dryer combos people put in a little closet. The old ones. The new front loaded stacked washer/dryers are actually extra large capacity. This is a normal average sized agitator washer. It's kind of gimmicky to eliminate the large washload size and stick extra large in there. Lots of companies do it without making the basket any bigger. Roper isn't the only offender.

It's got three washload sizes: small, medium, extra large. When I wash clothes, I have only thought of loads as small or large. I wouldn't be able to guess what constitutes a medium...

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pitcherday says "Roper Washing machine takes many cycles to dry clothes" about Roper Heavy Duty Extra Large Dryer by Whirlpool

pitcherday — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 19:48:47 GMT

When I moved into my new apartment, they had these Roper washer and dryers installed. After using them for a few months, I took the washer and dryer I owned out of the garage, put the Ropers in the garage and now I am happy! For the record, the washer and dryer I own are Whirlpools - real Whirlpools, not the Roper, which is the lowest quality washer and dryer made by the Whirlpool company.

This is the Roper Heavy Duty Extra-large capacity model. It has 5 cycles: timed dry on low and high heat, and auto sense dry. Auto sense is for more dry, less dry, and a setting with a star which supposedly lets the dryer judge when your clothes are dry. The timed dry only goes up to 30 minutes, both for high and low heat. It buzzes when the cycle is over.

It's not extra large capacity. It's no bigger than any other dryer at that price point, and nothing to write home about. And if you do load it up, it takes more than one drying cycle (sometimes up to four) to dry the clothes completely. Even with loads...

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