Guy Low Price Electronic: 21 Jun 2010

Monday, 21 June 2010

Nail Polish - konad, image plates

If you missed out on the Mash plates then these are the exact same plates. Since there aren't any pictures to see the designs on the plates, I went ahead and ordered hoping they wouldn't turn out to be the same as my Mash one's but they were. Now I have two sets but I will give it away as a gift. Still a good deal and highly recommend.

Update: These image plates have Konad's designs on them. The image plates are labeled the same as Konad. They are: m20, m21, m22, m25, m26, m27, m28, m44, m45, m46, m47, m48, m50, m52, m56, m57, m60, m61, m62, m63, m64, m72, m73, m78, m80. Hope that helps many of you in figuring out what you will receive. NAIL ART IMAGE PLATES POLISH STAMP STAMPING MIXED DESIGNS SET KIT 25pc

I was waiting for the MASH plates to come back in-stock but it never did. I was thinking on just buying the Konad brand but really did not want to since they are $7 each. Right when I was going to place the order for Konad I came across these plates. It only had 1 review so I just placed it in my cart and waited to see other people feedback. Once it reached 3 (5*) reviews I placed the order. It took 6 days for the item to get to me. I did my Gelish gel nails last night and tried different designs from different plates. They all worked and came out great. Most of the plates are the same designs as the Konad brand. Ones that I was about to purchase for $7 each. I am so glad I waited. I did also purchase the Konad double sided stamper. I have a knock off stamper and does not perform as well as the Konad, its a must have. Also, I used regular nail polish for the plate designs. I actually tried two different brands and both worked great.

I love these plates. They work great and you can even use regular polish to create the images. They came in bubble wrap and each plate came in their own individual bag. Whole nail designs and french tip designs are also included.They're a great value for your money.

I love these plates! Many are the same designs as you can get from that expensive "K" company. These work just as well for a lot less $$$$ so if you're something more of a dimestore diva than a rich fashionista these are soooo for you!!! Go on just get them, it's the same price as less than 3 plates from the other guys.

I have been waiting for the MASH plates to come back into stock here on Amazon.I have been checking Amazon every couple of days hoping I would see them back in stock. But then I came across this set of plates and decided I would take a chance and order them. I felt it was a gamble since you really don't get to see what plates are included with this set. I am really glad I ordered these. The plates that I received are exactly the same as the MASH set of plates. The MASH listing has a picture of the plates and I compared each plate to confirm this. You can google "MASH nail plates" to see images of these plates that others have posted. I do like most of the designs. Many are dupes of Konad plates. Some of the plates are useless to me, and some of the images are not as crisp, but for the price I am happy overall. I did some stamping today and the image stamped perfectly. I should also mention that I have a few Konad plates and the Bundle Monster set of 25. I feel these plates stamp just as well as Konad and Bundle Monster but these don't have any paper backing. Handled carefully this isn't a problem. My shipping was actually fast but my notification that the item had shipped came the day before they arrived. I was starting to think they were slow to ship but it turns out they were just slow to notify me of the shipment. I am very happy with my purchase and I would consider ordering from them again if they offered a different set.

For the price, these plates ARE a steal. Many of the plates are dupes of Konad designs. The plates are apparently the same as the previously released MASH plates: m20, m21, m22, m25, m26, m27, m28, m44, m45, m46, m47, m48, m50, m52, m56, m57, m60, m61, m62, m63, m64, m72, m73, m78, m80. You can google "MASH nail art plates" to see what designs are included on each plate. Please note, however, they are not exactly Konad quality. The full-nail images on three of my plates, m57 (zebra/fishnet/leopard), m60 & m61 are smaller in size compared to the other full-nail images & there is no way they will completely cover my thumb nail. The images on these three plates basically appear "shrunken," that is the best way to explain it. Therefore, I plan to order the Konad version of these plates since they have many of the designs I originally wanted in the first place. I also found that a few of the full-nail images aren't etched fully, so no matter how hard I try, I just can't get a full, clean image to transfer to the stamper. I ordered two Konad plates (m59 & m65) with a stamper, black & white special polish (more on that in a sec) & I found that the actual Konad plates are definitely more cleanly/evenly etched, as they should be for the $7 retail price. You can definitely pay less for the Konad plates on Amazon; I ordered from Nail Beauty 4U & was very pleased w/their pricing, shipping & customer service.)In practicing with the plates, I tested Wet & Wild French White Crème vs the Konad White Special Polish. There definitely IS a difference, the Konad shows up more while the W&W is not nearly as bright. I didn't try the black yet, but from what I've read, I expect the same theory to hold true. So I would recommend ordering at least the Konad black & white special polish with your stamper. I've had good luck stamping with the following Pure Ice metallic shades: Outrageous, Pussy Cat & Silver Mercedes, as well as China Glaze Harmony, Passion & Devotion. All of the China Glaze Romantique collection shades are great for stamping, btw.)Bottom Line: Yes, I would recommend this set to a friend, with the heads up that some of the plates may not be 100% perfect. If you're looking to try nail stamping, for the price, this is a great starter set. - Image Plates - Bundlemonster - Manicure - Konad'

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Travel - travel, almay

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I really like these--and I have tried many others. What impresses me most is that I don't have to deal with that oily residue that most other makeup remover pads leave behind. I find it harder to remove the oily residue and if you don't get it all off, it can adversely affect your makeup the next day--mascara and eyeliner runs and smudges, etc. I guess I haven't had the problems other people are finding with waterproof mascara, etc. I find that it does remove that. I just leave the pads on my lashes a little longer, soak them well, etc., before I start wiping off the mascara. It works for me. Almay Oil-free Makeup Remover Pads, 80 Pads

Almay Eye Makeup Remover Pads are the only makeup remover products that I ever use! I wear waterproof mascara every day, as well as eye liner, eye shadow and eye brow highlighter. These pads remove 95% of my makeup at night. In the morning, I use another pad to wipe away what little mascara that remains. These pads are very easy to use and never leave a greasy residue in or around my eyes. I suggest buying them in the large containers of 120. Often I can find them at a "buy one get the second one at half price" deal at some of the major drug stores like Walgreens and CVS.

My daughter is a competitive dancer. Her dance team needs to wear a lot of stage makeup while competing. The girls usually use Almay Eye Makeup Remover Pads to remove their stage makeup before we leave the arena. While it may take 4 or 5 pads to remove all of the makeup, it still leaves the girls looking clean and normal when they leave.

I like that this product does not leave an oily residue. It is not all that great at removing more than the lightest coating of mascara. I have tried it with three different brands of regular and one waterproof mascaras. It was successful at removing a light layer of non-waterproof mascara. Heavier makeup leaves a lot of left over makeup under the lower lash that requires additional pads and scrubbing to remove. This is not a product to remove waterproof mascara. They are useful for carry-on luggage for travel.

Update 12 December

I have returned to lower my rating from 3 stars to 2. I have tried this remover with several different brands of mascara and it does not work well with any of them. I did not even try it with waterproof mascara.

This is some of the most pointless money I've ever spent. I scrubbed and wiped and blotted, and it took 5 of these tiny pads to get what I thought was all my waterproof mascara and eyeliner off. After I washed my face the next morning, I was Ms. Raccoon Eyes again. I recommend Neutrogena eye-makeup remover pads instead.

This stuff is the best; it's the only eye-makeup remover that I use and I order it in bulk. Not at all greasy and great for sensitive skin or people who wear contact lenses (never irritates them). Buy it-- you won't be disappointed! - Travel - Almay'

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Snow Throwers - snow joe, snow blower

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I've been an owner of three different gas snowblowers. Each worked in its own way, from the MTD two-stage to my personal favorite, the Craftsman one-stage.

Many people see one-stage snow throwers as junk, and I'll agree they have their limitations in heavy or wet snow. But if you get out there right when the snow falls and clear it before it hits ten inches, you'll have a fine time with this little wonder.

It does as good a job at snow removal as my Craftsman single did--the two-stage may be a bit more versatile but it's like handling a rototiller and you have to have a place to store it. This baby hangs on a pair of wall hooks in the garage, with the cord hanging next to it.

I was amazed at how well this little "off brand" thrower does its work. I got it to test the proposition that 99% of snow removal can be done with a little tool like this. But it bore me out last year. Neighbor has an Ariens that cost him almost $1400. When he saw my little blower he offered to clear my driveway for me.

After clearing my (two-car with turnout space) driveway and hanging up the machine and cord back in the garage, I looked next door. He was still trying to get the beast started.

UPDATE MARCH 2010:

Well, I had almost three seasons with Snow Joe, but he couldn't handle the double whammy snowstorms of February--gave up the ghost. So I bought the Toro version of the same thing. It handles very similarly to the Snow Joe, but the impeller and chute design is better. I wish the chute crank were easier to reach (liked that about the SJ) but the Toro gets more snow faster than the SJ.

I was very close to buying one of Toro's gas Power Curve models, but went with another electric. When the second snowstorm hit, this Toro went through it like butter. I made sure to get out there and clear the first batch before it hit ten inches. Second batch was actually deeper at probably about ten inches, and it was just as easy. The Toro took full-width bites out of the first pass. The deeper pass required me to bump it out 4 inches or so to account for the higher snow volume.

But it chewed through it like a champ. I continue to recommend electric snowblowers to homeowners who don't face a huge amount of snow in the winter and don't have more than a hundred feet between their outlet and the street. My 100-foot cord hits the end just as I get to the street. If my driveway were a foot longer I'd have to go with a longer cord.

But I am switching my recommendation from Snow Joe to Toro. The Toro throws better, stays clearer, is better put together, and is quieter than the Snow Joe, especially under load.

Spend the extra and get the Toro. You won't be sorry. Snow Joe Ultra 622U1 19-Inch 13-Amp Electric Snow Thrower

We bought the Snow Joe in December 2007 from Polsteins Home Goods and More (there is at least one other reviewer that had problems with Polsteins) - the very first snowstorm was about 4-5 inches. The snowthrower worked about 3/4 of the way down the driveway and then stopped working (no signs of a problem). We tried the fuse, a different plug, and calling Snow Joe. The service center recommended that we spray WD-40 into the starter switch housing, wait 20 mins and try again, or try holding the switch in while squeezing the bar. Neither worked. They have now authorized a return to their service center and they will repair or replace it free of charge. For the 20 minutes or so when it worked, we were impressed with how it worked. Now we have to hope it doesn't snow again before it is fixed.

Update - Snow Joe has now told me 4 times that they are sending me an email to have the snow blower returned. I the 2 and a half weeks since I first spoke to them, the email still has not come, and the toll free number they provide is an endless loop of nothing that never gets to a customer service rep, and the automatic return call feature to keep your place in line does not work (I have also tried several times over the last 2 weeks and they still have called, so it must be a very long line).

I have been moving snow for 30 years in Northern Wisconsin, using everything from large gas 2-stage snowthrowers, Garden tractors on down to small electric snowthrowers. My girlfriend needed a small snowblower for her side walks and double wide concrete drive, because of the hassles of starting and maintaining a gas snowblower (and her limited mechanical knowledge) we decided on an electric snowblower. (She handles a vacuum cleaner with a long cord....this seemed no different). We read the reviews on the Toro and Snow Joe and decided on the Snow Joe because of the better quality wheels, easier to reach chute handle and bigger motor (plus it was cheaper). She put it together herself (except for the difficult to tighten small screws on the chute handle). I had to play for awhile to figure out how to start it?...you need to hold in the side start button while you pull back on the handle to start the machine. (not real clear in the directions).....The first night we had 4" of fresh snow and it moved all the snow as easy as vacuuming, right down to the concrete...(it really only throws average snow 5'-10'). There was some old snow that was hard packed along the driveway and the drive belt kept squealing each time I plowed into the old snow.....we salted the remaining hard snow on the driveway (packed from driving on it) and tried clearing the wet snow the next night....and this machine did not like it at all! The drive belt squealed ALOT!.....(also note that NO snowblower of any size likes wet snow....no small gas powered snowblower I have ever used likes wet snow either)...so we had to hand shovel that stuff.....Lesson learned is: GET AT THE SNOW WHILE ITS SNOWING..don't wait to try to clear it after it has hardened or becomes slushy... and make sure you move the snow that the snowplow pushes in at the end of the driveway RIGHT AWAY...this machine does not like HARD PACK...(that snow left from the snowplow that has salt and sand in it). But in my experience this is a very well built and easy to use snowblower for handling fresh dry snow. In 15 minutes I did what used to take 2 hours hand shoveling.

UPDATE: 01/01/2008 (Try spraying the plastic behind the Blades and the inside of the chute with a vinyl/plastic protectant such as "Armor All"..this slick spray keeps the snow from sticking and helps the snow throw farther, plus it keeps the unit looking shiny and new). A winding garden hose real made winding up the cord much easier each time. - Snow Blower - Snow Throwers - Snow Thrower - Snow Joe'

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Weight Bar

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I went to Walmart to buy an EZ Curl Bar and they wanted $31.00 with tax. I canceled the order, did an internet search and found this bar for $17.00. It arrived in perfect shape and with both clamps inside. It is solid, balanced and gave me a good workout. I highly recommend it! Champion Barbell 47 x 1-Inch Chrome E-Z Curl Bar

I like the way that this bar handles. It is not too cheap and it has a nice balanced weight to it. The only downside is that it may get corroded in parts eventually but it is a good EZbar for at least two years if you take good care of it. It is the cheapest I have found so far and that is of good quality.

Bar seems fine. Good for the price. Also mine came with spring clips so don't go buy any until you get it. It said it did not come with them in the description so just wait untill you get it before you waste money.

Very sturdy bar, weighs around 10 lbs. Good threading, lots of real-estate to put your hands on. It doesn't say that it comes with collars, but mine came with 1 (one). Packaging was pretty beat up by the time it got to me, so I think the other fell out of the packaging. It's good that I bought a separate standard collar set. Geometry of this bar makes it good for curls, but for hammer curls (palms down) I still much prefer a straight bar. Military press is no problem with this thing either. All in all a nice bar'

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Cordless Nailer - hitachi framing nailer, nail gun

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I have always been a fan of the cordless nailers, I have two each of all of the Paslode guns. You can frame and finish a whole house w/ a gas framer, finish, and brad gun. I added the Hitachi Round Head to the mix just to have more flexibility in nails; if I run out and the closest supplier has one or the other styles I'll be covered both ways.

The comparison: I think the Hitachi has a better balance point in your hand. The Paslode is, I think, heavier in the nose, and so feels heavier. I like the Hitachi battery set-up better. If you get a piece of debris jammed in the Paslode along with the battery, it can be a bear to get out. The Hitachi is also easier to adjust depth of drive, although once you have it set, you rarely have to change it, unless you go from wood to microlams and back.

As far as the basic nailing, both guns perform the same. As other reviewers have noted, one down side to the gas nailers is that they require more pushing force to activate (so you can't use it as a gun like Danny Glover did in Lethal Weapon!). So if you have aligned two work pieces and are trying to nail them, you have a tendency to move the work when trying to activate the nailer. You also have to be careful not to leave the gun lying around with the battery in; it will run down.

The one performance issue on these guns is in extreme cold weather, especially if you are trying to nail over your head with the gun upside down. They won't fire. In those conditions, I kepp one gas canister in my pocket where it keeps warm, and I switch them when the one in the gun gets too cold. Note that in these conditions, you are also likely to have problems with your compressor, so the one is no worse than the other. Also, note that a pneumatic stick nailer probably holds 3-4x as many nails as either gas nailer, so you do have to lug around a lot of nails, and reload frequently.

All in all, I don't understand why I don't see these on every job site. Who wants to drag a hose through the truss webs if you don't have to. You can just hook this baby on your tool belt and climb around freely. And for the DIYer, I would highly recommend it. No compressor needed! Hitachi NR90GR Round Head 2-inch to 3-1/2-inch Cordless Gas Framing Nailer

This is a gun that is not as easy to use as an air driven one and does take some getting used to, I think that is where people have problems. Good balance and power and does not take the expensive, more limited Paslode round modified nails and will take up to a 3 1/2", 3 1/4" is not code in some areas and that is as long as the Paslode IMCT will shoot. I like not having to but anothe set od nailer for this gun as the Std. Senco style .

The fuel rod has to be in place correctly or the gun will not work correctly, sometimes you have to reinsert it if it does not seat the first time before closing the cover. There is a lock out on the nail strip to prevent dry fire so you need at least a 10 nail strip to start. You can not bump fire like so many like to do, wildly place nails all over, it is a sequential fire so you must place the nose on contact then let the fan start and fire,rated 2-3 nail/sec.. It takes some experience to learn how to use it. Go for an air driven nailer if you want to shoot it like a machine gun and have nails thru sheathing into air space like is the case in so many homes. I know bump fire can be done correctly but more often than not I see careless building results.

I have a Paslode finish nailer and it works fine, has its issues too, especially in having to be kept clean and use specific products for maintience as this gun has too.

The rubber grip on this tool and the balance is very good, hold the Paslode too you will see how much better this is. This is Made in Japan and not a cheaply made tool as so many tools are today. The fuel rod is from Germany, and does not have an expiration date like the Paslode fuel which will work too[Red rod]. They did have problems with the early Hitachi fuel but that is corrected now.

I do not like the depth adjuster and jam removal screws because you need a 5mm allen key that is supplied but does not have any onboard storage [it does have a spot in the nice case]. The depth adjuster should be tooless, I really dislike those 2 issues . There is also no rubber protector boot for siding or decking but again the Pasload boot will fit if you buy it. For the price it is a great tool IF you follow instructions and do not have expectations that it will act like an air framing nailer. I hope Hitachi will decide to make some finish nailers too.

When it works, this tool is a jewel; powerful, easy to handle, and it drives a true round-head nail. It's just that it doesn't work very long. The original unit acquired via Amazon lasted for somewhere in the neighborhood of a hundred nails, and then died. The local Hitachi dealer's service department could not revive it, so it was replaced with a new tool. The replacement lasted somewhat longer (200 hundred nails, perhaps) before it too ceased to fire.

The problem seems to be a flaw in the triggering mechanism that shows up after relatively moderate use. The dealer's service shop tried to repair the tool, and it worked for a dozen nails or so and then quit again. The dealer has been trying to get Hitachi to once again replace the gun, but the Hitachi rep. has apparently been unrepsponsive. In any event, unless the flaw is fixed at the factory, simply getting a new gun is no solution.

If my experience is anything to go by, purchasers of this Hitachi tool may be doubly cursed, first by a poor product design, and thereafter by poor customer service. My suggestion is to buy something else(which it looks like I'm going to have to do).

I've only had the nailer about a week, and haven't used it alot other than just trying it out- 'bout 1 strip of nails. So far it seems to work pretty good. It hits really hard and is well balanced. Not too much heavier than an air nailer. The cons: really could use a tooless depth adjustment. You really have to push hard with the nose to fire a nail. Cleaning instructions and maintenance are not in the users manual, you have to go to Hitachi's website and download a pdf file for the instructions and recommended schedule. It doesn't have a bump fire feature so you won't be firing nails as fast as a pnuematic gun. - Cordless Nailer - Hitachi Framing Nailer - Nail Gun - Cordless'

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Textiles - textiles

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This very lavish book is an wonderful reference for any student of Indian costume and textiles. Many wonderful color photographs show the interaction of textiles and costume in India. The text has a great deal of information about the historical development of sewn clothing across India. A very useful book! Costumes and Textiles of Royal India

I bought this book at the textile museum in Washington, D.C. many years ago and it fascinated me. The book was lovingly researched and the pictures are a treasure, along with the very interesting copy. I have actually had people ask me if I would be interested in parting with it. If you want to learn something deeper about Indian culture, buy this book and enjoy. - Textiles'

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Colored Pencils - art supplies, colored pencils

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First of all, the guy above who was dissatified, you can't use a reg. pencil sharpener to sharpen Prisma's, becuase what happened to you, will happen. Prismacolor pencils come w/ a special sharpener just for these pencils. Inside the box it explains why you can't use a reg. sharpener on these pencils.

As for my review, I draw tattoos. Every tattoo artist i've ever talked too all use Prismacolor Pencils, and all have rave reviews... I didn't believe them until 1 of the tattoo artists let me try out his set. After i tried his out for a few hours (cuase i was that happy w/ them), i had to have my own set. Once i went Prismacolor, i never went back to the crappy crayolas i was using before. Crayola differs from Prisma becuase most pencils in your store are chalk-based, while prisma's are oil based... They blend like paint..

These are the greatest pencils i've ever seen and used. Though they are expensive, it's well worth it.. It's better to buy a bigger set, like starting out w/ the 48 color set or more. Sanford Prismacolor Premier Colored Pencil Set, 72/Tin with New Colors

I own these pencils and I personally think they are great. I have the 72 color set and I think the creamy leads are excellent because they are soft and free of impurities that cheap colored pencils have. I have not had trouble with blooming or layering so far. I really like the fact that you can reorder specific colors through the Prismacolor website. Be sure to buy an appropriate pencil sharpener. The Prismacolor Colored Pencil sharpener is a good one but you can only sharpen one or two pencils before needing to clean it out. That is the only drawback I have found.

A beautiful way to prevent your prismas from breaking or cracking the lead is to use an Xacto knife to sharpen them and avoid dropping them if at all possible. The lead is very fragile, and a fall may break them. Using a knife is a really gentle way to take care of the lead and prevent the wood around the pencil from wearing down so fast. It will give you about twice as long life for each pencil, because you can shape the wood around the lead instead of shaving the lead off. Granted, a bit of practice is needed, using a crayola pencil is probably the best way to assure your coordination with the knife.

There are many excellent colored pencil brands available today, with some of the premier labels being Caran D'Arche (Switzerland), Conté (France), Faber Castell (Germany), Talens (the Netherlands) and Koh-i-noor (Czech Republic). Each pencil brand has its own loyal following, and it is certainly true that the performance characteristics of each leaves a unique "signature" on paper (i.e., the experienced eye can sometimes tell which brand of pencil was used for a different piece of artwork by examining luminosity, reflection, depth of color, and others). I have used all these brands myself, having brought back from Europe entire sets from various manufacturers, and often in different sub types ("artist," "student," and so on). Some also have added touches that really make a pencil set shine, including rounded triangular shafts with subtle inlaid grips, bonded coatings between the lead and the pencil wood to minimize lead shattering, and soft textured surfaces for improved gripping and comfort. Some sets are now even beginning to adhere to the lightfastness specifications as developed by the Colored Pencil Society of America.

So, what should we think about a set of American made colored pencils when they are competing with these premier brands, some of which have been in business for centuries? The answer might be surprising to hear: after using all these brands for an extended period of time, I can say that these Prismacolor "Premier" pencils easily hold their own against the world's best colored pencils.

What are the characteristics of the Prismacolor "Premier" pencils that make them so good?

1. Smooth, silky, and rich laydown of color

2. Little smearing, even when laying down dense patches of color

3. Ability to blend colors as needed

4. Wide range of available colors

5. Relatively inexpensive (by comparison to other premium brands)

6. Availability of the Prismacolor "Verithin" pencil sets, which duplicate the colors of the "Premier" line pencil by pencil (matched by color codes), but in an extremely hard lead that permits a high level of sharpening for detail work which will not quickly wear down.

At first glance, it might seem that these Prisamacolor pencils are expensive, but when one reflects on the fact that some of the more "esoteric" (for lack of a better word) pencils can run upwards of $3 - $4 per pencil, the Prismacolors are nothing short of a bargain. (If you hunt long enough, you can even find the large set of 120 pencils that comes in a two tiered wood case with lining to house your collection and you'll still be paying far less per pencil than other high end brands.)

But the proof is certainly in the putting. Get one of these in your hands, and lay down some color on a sheet of paper and see if you don't experience the very thing I am describing here. These are rich and smooth leads with an almost creamy feel. That's not to say you can point them up to a needle: you can, but you just must be careful not to press too much when doing so in order to keep the point from breaking. You can also use these in a duller point to lay down large swaths of rich, deep color. (Again, pairing this set up with the "Verithin" set can be very helpful for detail work.)

Are these pencils perfect? No. There are a few issues, some minor, but nevertheless relevant for this review:

1. Lead shattering seems to be an issue for the company. My first set had no less than 10% of the pencils shattered all the way down to the end, rendering all those colors useless. This is either manufacturing problems, or some improvement in the cases in which the pencils are transported and sold is required to further reduce shock from transport. It is an unacceptable result when purchasing a large pencil set.

2. Along those same lines, it would be wonderful if Prismacolor could look into a similar technology such as Staedler uses in its colored pencils, which is a coating of inner material between the lead and the wood to reduce breakage. I've never had a single Staedler pencil break on me yet. Not one.

3. The triangular shaped shafts of both the Faber Castell and Staedler pencils is in my view a superior design than the round format of the Primscolors, allowing greater control and improved comfort.

4. The Prismacolors do not use any type of friction coating on the outside of the pencils to help improve grip. Both Staedler and Faber Castell do (and in different manners), and this adds immeasurably to their performance characteristics.

5. The printing on the shaft of the Prismacolor to identify color name and code can be almost illegible, with blurry, imprecise lettering. In some lighting conditions, the markings are nearly impossible to read. (The newest editions of the Prismacolors seem to have addressed this, but don't count on getting those in the boxed sets anytime soon until existing stock is sold and replaced with new models.)

6. The Prismacolors are not "finished" on the end with any type of cap or closure, and the pencils also arrive unsharpened. (Compare the Faber Castells, which both come fully sharpened and are mounted in a manner that makes them resistant to any type of breakage during transport; these also, as most other brands, have a nice finishing cap on the end of the pencil.)

Let me be clear. These minor quibbles all fall away once you get one of these in your hand an experience how they perform. These are simply a delight to use, and many artists swear by them. After using them myself, I can see why. I still am extremely impressed with the best of the offerings Europe produces, but these Prismacolor pencils deserve to be counted right among them. If they ever addressed my minor quibbles above, they might vie for a role as a de facto standard with one or two of the other most expensive brands three times their price.

Five stars for performance. Five stars for price. Five stars for fun. And five stars for rich , creamy, deep color!

Note: Although these pencils come in many sizes of sets, I recommend the 72 color set. This gives you a wide range of colors, and does not run you into issues with the larger sets where you have multiple colors so close to one another you cannot easily see the difference. Of course, if you want the beautiful wood case, you'll need to get the 120 set. - Color - Pencils - Art Supplies - Colored Pencils'

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Graphics Cards - msi, computer

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Bought this card for a new i7 2600k build based on extensive research on several tech sites and forums, along with feedback from early owners. Newegg has many firsthand reviews of this card that I found quite useful. Same price, but Amazon offers free shipping.

PROS

Superior performance- smokes my games at highest settings. Maxes out a 7.9 score on the Window Experience Rating for both the graphics Desktop performance for Windows Aero, AND the 3D business and gaming graphics performance categories... yes, 7.9 is the highest rating for Windows as of now. It does this for half the cost of the top of the line GTX580 cards.... Oh, it runs very cool, 25C at idle in my case. Dont think one can find a 560 that runs cooler.

It IS quiet! I have it in a SilverStone Aluminum ATX Mid Tower Uni-Body Frame Computer Case FT02B (Black)(a very quiet, cool, and highly recommended case) and I can not hear it. The case is on my desk 3 feet from where I sit. All I can hear is sweet airflow through the case, and the case fans are on the lowest setting. This makes me very happy as I was a bit concerned due to an earlier review here. I suspect that reviewer may have a defective or damaged card that is putting out audible harmonics. They might want to rma it for a new one. So if you value quietness in your computer like I do, then I can recommend this great card.

Value- At this price point nothing touches the perfomance of this card. It was a no brainer for me as I did not have an unlimited budget for my build. Bought this MSi GTX560 Ti because I do some gaming and flight sims, and do not want to upgrade for any games in the near future. Also work with video and the wife can certainly put it to use for her graphics and photoshop work. If all you will ever do with your computer is check your email and surf the web then you really do not need to spend this much. There are cheaper options.... If you do game and want performance within 10% of the top dogs for half the cost, well this new Value King of video cards is for you.

Quality- MSI is known for the high grade components they utilize in their products. It is no different here with military class II components and solid capacitors. This card is built to last and higher overclocking if one wants. With MSi Afterburner this is very easy to do.

CONS

Ummm... I guess I would like a regular HDMI port and not the mini one. Must say that MSi does supply an adapter though. It also does not do my laundry or the dishes. Must look elsewhere....

Conclusion- This MSi GTX560 Ti card, along with my Prolimatech CPU Cooler for Intel Socket 1156, 1366 and 775 Megahalems Rev. B (Silver)(paired with the super quiet Noctua NF-P12 120 mm Nine Blade SSO Bearing Fan with VCN - Retailare the most valued components in my computer build. Hope this review helps anyone trying to decide on a new card... MSI GeForce GTX560 1 GB DDR5 2DVI/Mini HDMI PCI-Express Video Card N560GTX TI TWIN FROZR II OC

After nearly four years I've finally decided to upgrade my video card, going from an 8800GT to this baby right now. The difference was noticeable right away. I typically have my gaming PC hooked up to my living room PC so I can play my games on a large screen, and it's chugging away at 1080p graphics without a hitch.

This is also all BEFORE I upgrade the rest of my system, which is coming in the next month or two. I'm already seeing MASSIVE improvements, and I'm loving it.

Two large fans on this card, with the improved heat sink over the reference model, means this card usually runs whisper quiet and very cool. My old 8800GT would get to 90 degrees Celsius after a half hour of gaming, and with the fan cranked up to a super noisy 75%. This one has the fan hang around 25-30%, not noticeable at all, and still manages to stay cool at 60 degrees C.

All in all I'm very impressed with the product, and as a long time MSI motherboard fan, I have to say I am in love with the build quality of the video card as well.

For a measly 250 dollars this simple upgrade moved my windows index up to 7.8, benchmarking in the HIGH 800's with all settings on EXTREME.

Brand name is all up to personal preference but I chose the AFTERBURNER team. With a base clock speed of 880 mhz and plenty of potential for overclocking this is a steal.

Cons: The only cons I've experienced is it's a bit loud with the dual fan but you can download the free software to use your own settings for the fan speed, so it really deserves 5 stars but it's worth nothing.

Buy this card don't blow a couple extra hundred to have bragging rights that fall short in benchmarks!

Humble Roots

I've been a huge AMD/ATI fan for decades. After a long long time of research this was the best cost-benefit card at May 5ft.

Super silent! Really.

The cooling system is really a big hands up do MSI. After playing GTA IV maxed out for about one hour the temperature was ~42ºC sharp. Then, after i closed the game, it went from 42ºC to 34ºC in less than 2 minutes.

Good drivers for Linux were always a big concert to me, but Nvidia always release great ones, unlike ATI (whom got me pissed after discontinuing support of a 2 year old card).

Although I had to wait for over a week for the product, it came in earlier than promised. Well boxed and protected. Installation was simple but you have to make sure that your Power source has TWO PCI connectors to power the video card. Mine did so there were no problems as I already knew about the power. Since it is a large card, make sure you have enough room in your case to handle it.

The MSI GTX560 is very attractive with its cooling pipes and dual fans. Very little sound but there is a fan buzz which is evident. Not a problem for me as it is very stable and quick. This was an upgrade from a 9800 unit and it is a dream.

Highly recommended! - Sandy Bridge - Graphics Card - Msi - Computer'

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Small Animal - rabbit, pet pen

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My Ferret, Benny, used to spend all day playing. So when I saw this sweet beret I thought Benny would love it. I was right. When I first gave him the beret he would run about and model his new found hat. Eventually he started becoming more lethargic.

Now he spends his days in front of a blank canvas doing nothing. I can only imagine he is trying to spark his creative vision. I used to have a playful little buddy, now I have an out-of-work aspiring artist with a cute hat. Marshall Ferret Cap, Pink Knit

I was very worried that my ferret wouldn't fit in on the streets of Paris being an American weasel. Once I placed this well made beret upon his little head, he was treated just like a Parisian native and they even forgave his accent. A must for the ferret going abroad in these dangerous times!

My ferret Jacque has quite the wardrobe - plaid golf shorts, 2 tuxedos, a smoking jacket, and a seeming-endless supply of tank tops. He always mentioned that he needed something to capture the true essence of Jacque, however.

The Marshall Ferret Beret was just the ticket.

It comes packaged nicely, with a generic brown box, which hides the true treasure within. Although Jacque was asleep when it arrived (he spends 14-18 hours a day asleep and only really gets up around the hours of dawn and dusk...as most ferrets are prone to do), once he awoke, he was quite surprised. In fact, I would describe his reaction as "knocked for six."

The only problem I found is that this hat is not really "one size fits all". As we all know, ferrets are sexually dimorphic predators with males being substantially larger than females. Jacque being a mister, means this domepiece barely fits on his noggin...please, begin making this hot beret in male and female sizes.

Finally a way for my sweet ferret, Vincent Van Stanks, to express his truly artistic nature. He only bit me a little when I put it on. Also looks comical on the dog, for whom I also purchased one. He simply looks at me wearily whenever I make him don it. I make tiny baguettes and bâtards to place in the tiny baskets on their tiny (and tinier) bicycles. Brrring brrring!

My ferret, Dusty, had been exhibiting signs of hob pattern baldness, and was having no luck finding himself a "jill." His sexual frustrations became my frustrations, as every soft, slightly elongated object in the house was used for Dusty's personal prison skank.

I had to do something to help him find a mate.

Then, I chanced to peruse Marshall's pet hair and head product line on Amazon. Eureka! The Marshall Ferret Beret, black, $5.99 would make him the Arthur Fonzarelli of the weasel world.

It was not long after placing this fine head wear upon his cranium that Dusty was strutting down the sidewalk a-la Tony Manero. Oh, the confidence. Watch out Sylvester Stallone. Dusty's in the mix, lookin' tight, yo. Although, given the fairly strong anti-French sentiment that's become somewhat pervasive in our neighborhood, Dusty gets cheese and wine thrown at him from time to time.

It is verry cute on my ferret. He dose not like it to much. If u want things like this for ur ferret i would suggest u get them when ur ferret is still a baby or plan on spending a lot of time geting ur ferret used to it or they will do whatever they can to get it off.

this is for people who want to embarass their ferrets by making them wear a goofy looking hat (that would be us) cannot think of another purpose for this item. weasel isn't too crazy about wearing it but for the pics we got it was well worth the price and effort. - Alligator - Pets - Rabbit - Pet Pen'

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Chainsaw Sharpeners

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Picked this up to have a secondary grinder to my outdated foley-belsaw. I like that it is extremely similar to the oregon, but alot cheaper in cost. I had to re-tap one screw hole that holds blade guard on due to overzealous paint application and also grind off an aluminum casting nipple that was still on the bottom of the main body that interfered with tilting the chain vise to its forward 10 degree tilt. Those are my only complaints. To me it is very easy to adjust to my different pitch chains. It even comes with 3 grinding wheels for the different pitch chains, more expensive grinders don't even do that! I did not like that it was not made in USA, but the almost all grinders are either made in china or italy. By the way, I got mine from Tractor Supply Company for $129.99 regular price. Hope this helps. Timber Tuff CS-BWM Benchtop / Wall Mount Electric Chain Saw Chain Sharpener

I recieved this as a Xmas gift in 2010... (Thanks Son) The instruction manual is poorly written, but does have a good chain manufacture angle table near the last page so I gave it 4 stars... However, anyone who is semi mechanically inclined will throw it together in no time... It comes with everything you'll need, plus three grinding wheels for different size chains... Prior to this I always had two chains... One on the chainsaw, and one at the local sharpener shop being touched up... This unit is by far the best way to go if you want to maintain your chainsaw chains yourself, and save a few bucks in the long haul... With care in the initial wheel, and angle selections you'll be an expert chainsaw sharpener guy in no time...(Haha) Quick, and accurate is the bottom line on this sharpener... But be aware, this is not a toy grinder, so don't be afraid to wear eye protection while operating it... Plus be careful of the chain teeth as you go because their going to be razor sharp... No extra charge for the safety tip... ~Enjoy~

I received this chain sharpener as a gift a couple of months ago and had my first experience with it this week. As a novice chain sharpener, I would have ranked this unit higher if it were not for the instruction manual. The ease of use of the sharpener is excellent. I was able to assemble it in about a half-an-hour, my only complaint was that one of the plastic guard holes was not drilled accurately and I had to work to get the bolt in. Learning to use the unit however, was an exercise in frustration. The manual is very, very poorly written and the figures are almost, but not quite, worthless. I finally gave up trying to make sense of the instructions and used the chain data to figure out the settings for the sharpener. This took about another half-hour. Once I figured it out, I was able to sharpen two chains in ten minutes. The unit is very quiet, smooth in operation and precise in its cuts. Not bad considering this was the first time I have ever tried this. Overall, this seems like an excellent unit and will probably save me a fortune in chains. For first time users - beware of the instruction manual - it is poor at best.

Overall, a well-constructed sharpener at a great price........

Like others, I discovered the wheel guard screw holes are out-of-line, so I slotted the hole mounting to the motor. The M5-0.8 screw for the other end of the guard is too short when changing the wheel and the guard falls off--use a 16 mm. length M5-0.80, instead. The hub of the rotating blade angle device has casting burrs that make angle change difficult-disassemble and file the mating surfaces for a smoother rotation. And, finally, the "lock screw" for the chain advance stop does not lock--add a nylock nut to the bolt to secure the adjustment.

These are "minor" defects that any machinist can remedy and does not decrease the value of this device. The overall quality and appearance is striking and I really like the "pea green" color.....

Does it sharpen a chain ??? Perfectly.'

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Samsung Lcd - 1080p, samsung lcd

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Beautiful looking set, great picture. BUT - steady buzz from back of set. Not very loud, but clearly shouldn't be there. When sitting in front of the TV with it turned on, you really can't notice. But if you turn volume down, or mute, it is clearly noticable. Called customer service - and she was clearly someone with barebones training. Most questions I asked her, she put me on hold and obviously checked with someone else. Anyway, bottom line is she came back to the phone and told me that 'that's normal; that's the way the set sounds'. I voiced my concern about this answer, but clearly was not going to get any further on this phonecall. Hung up. To be sure I wasn't being too picky, I had my wife and a brother come into den, where this TV is, and they both agreed that this was, in fact, NOT normal - at all! Called Samsung back, gave them history, and told the guy NOT to tell me this was 'normal'. He didn't. Instead he dispatched local repair shop. Several days later service guy arrived, and took set apart. He figured out which module was buzzing, and ordered one. Two weeks later he returned with an entire front panel of the TV. This includes new screen, frame, most of the guts (including buzzing component), less one board, and power supply. Samsung told him to order it that way, not just the "failing" component (?) Almost a new TV entirely! He put it all together, and guess what? The noise was still there, but now louder than ever! That was a few days ago, and here I sit with my now louder buzzing TV, that I can now hear, sitting in front of set with normal volume on. And Samsung says this is Normal !! Grrrrrrrrrr. The service guy now plans on ordering a new power supply, and replacing that. If that doesn't work, he thinks a new set entirely is in order! Except for 1 board where all the jack connectors are, the metal back panel, and the pedestal, isn't that what I already have?? ! To be continued.... Samsung LN37C550 37-Inch 1080p 60 Hz LCD HDTV (Black)

The picture quality is very nice, set up is intuitive, and the styling is attractive. The first TV had a loud buzzing sound emanating from the rear. Other reviewers have noted this and it was noticeable at normal listening levels. Some times it was loud as soon as the set was turned on and other times it became louder over time.

The second set hasn't had this problem yet. A low buzzing sound is still present, but you cannot hear it while watching TV. There appears to be an issue with a component on this model since my older Samsung doesn't exhibit this problem.

The price is right and the set is very nice, but you may have to exchange it due to the buzzing sound.

I took a chance on an open box offer from Amazon Warehouse Deals...wont do that again!

Pros: Great Price, Beautiful TV, Fantastic Picture, Easy return policy (Thumbs up Amazon!!!)

Cons: BZZZzzzzzzzzzzZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzz...the noiZZZZe from the back of the TV was annoying! Back to the Amazon Warehouse buZZard!

Dont be afraid to buy a SAMSUNG TV! I have 3 now and they are gorgeous TVs. Purchased NEW, but different model for a bit more $ but I am still very happy with the purchase.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B0036WT3KM/ref=dp_olp_new?ie=UTF8&condition=new

Word of Advice - make sure you have a good return policy in place if buying used, refurb or open items!

Right when you turn the set on, there's a loud buzzing sound which is noticeable from atleast 10 feet away. So I'd turn the volume up to around 20 and still noticeable (I have pretty good hearing). But the buzzing sound constantly comes and goes which is pretty annoying. Also if you switch the 'Energy Saving Mode' to anything besides off, the sound is constantly there. Overall, the tv has great picture and sound, but the buzzing sound ruins the tv experience.

grabbed 1 on sale this week to replace

a very very old unit in the home.

the entire viewing family is VERY pleased

with this unit.

1 - we don't have the high buzzing sound

from ours that one person mentioned as a

defective unit.

2 - the dark colored front panel controls

on the lower front bezel are a bit light

but we mostly use the remote controls so

that isn't a real issue.

unit fits our built in hardwood multi

media cabinetry perfectly 37" is the

right choice for our smaller viewing area.

i think the screen views well even from

extreme side seating locations.

things i might suggest to the factory;

1 - it seemed the set had minimal padding

inside when i opened the box. ours is, as

i said, in perfect shape, but if i was

the factory QC guy, i'd be putting more

protection in front of the screen. ours

used a 2 inch space for protection and the

box itself.

2 - i'd try to put small recessed handle

grabs in the rear frame in a larger design

element like this. lifting it is a two

person job per the manual but both people

found their grips slipping on the highly

polished (and good looking) set edges.

our entire extended family seems to have

settled on the Samsung line. that's

about 12 sets! really; we all love this

brand, have many different styles and

have had great experiences with the

performance and reliability of the Samsung

equipment. we did get an extended warranty

anyway on an investment like this one.

i haven't tried the connectivity to my

home network yet, but the menu seems well

designed and very logical. my wife is becoming

the family set it up expert.

i gave this 5 stars in the rating.

very pleased.

oh... i have a large surge suppressor

UPS box on the infeed from the electric

outlet. we have them on ALL our electronic

devices, PC, etc. power in our area is very

prone to spikes and storm related events.

i'd suggest this to anyone. - Samsung 1080p Lcd Hdtv - Samsung Lcd - Hdtv - 1080p'

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Desktop Organizer - desk set, desk organizer

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This organizer is everything you need for a small office/study area to keep all your most commonly used supplies at hand and stored accessibly. The unit is made of quality materials and holds an ample amount of supplies despite taking up only little space on your desk. The base is weighted so it doesn't slide around when you get tape from the dispenser. I had one at my old job for three years and it showed no signs of wear and tear. I liked it so much, I bought one to take into my new job because I couldn't work as efficiently without it.

I use each of the sections for:

-a normal sized stickynote,

-4 small flags (but I put in 2 skinny flags and 1 larger sign here flags),

-a small stickynote (although in the picture it shows paper clips for this section, it's the exact size of the smaller postits)

-full size tape

-large area in the middle which I used for paper and binder clips

-business card holder in the back for quick access

-3 separate sections for pens/scissors/highlighter (3 pens, 2 sharpies and 1 pair of scissors)

I enjoy this style so much more than the spinning desk organizers because it doesn't require you to spin around the organizer to find what you need- everything is right in view and well organized. I highly recommend this product to students or professionals. Post-it Desktop Organizer (C50)

I was looking locally for a desk organizer just like this one. And believe it or not I could not find one. I knew Amazon would have something I like. So I found this one and it was EXACTLY what I was looking for. It is very sturdy and weight down with sand or alike inside, so no tipping over. Comes with one roll of tape and the post it thingies and note pad. I can only recommend this. Shipping was fast, the only thing was that I did not get any tracking info, but I got it within a few days. So that was no big deal. I love it!

I seem to never find a pen or the tape, or a sticky pad when I need one. This compact yet ample gadget is perfect for my computer desk. It doesn't have a large footprint, yet offers organized space for small do-dads like paper clips and rubberbands as well as having a tape dispenser, room for pens/pencils and markers, a dedicated Post-it pad slot, and other areas for business cards, a phone, or whatever you may need them for. It is also weighted inside, so it doesn't slide around easily if you bump it or start pushing papers up your desk, and though it is plastic it has a solid well constructed feel to it. It was just what I was looking for in my home office!

I needed something to hold my odds and ends together on my desktop. The 3M C-50 perfectly fits the bill.

It is compact, which I consider to be a plus. But, if you're a clutter bug that tries to fit 1,001 things into this thing, then it won't work for you. But, if you need something to hold a few pens, markers, scissors, tape, and post-it notes, then this is perfect.

Some things I really like about it - nice heavy weight; tape dispenser; flag holder. Post-it notes holder is not strong enough to keep whole pad from coming out when you pull a page off. Paper clip holder is almost worthless, unless you never use paper clips and don't mind only having a few there at a time. That space needs to be magnetized at the minimum. The pencil holder is a little shallow - another inch would help. - Desk Organizer - Desk Set - Desktop Organizer - Organizer'

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Outdoor Cover For Boat - boat covers, pontoon cover

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We bought this to cover our pontoon and put it in an open-end storage unit last winter (with some wind blowing into the unit throughout that timeframe.) But by the time we got the boat out of storage this summer, there was a large rip over the steering column. We stitched it up, and within a few weeks it was ripped wide open again. Not the super strong fabric they refer to in the description by any means!

On a positive note: Because the product states the material is so strong, they offer a 3 year warranty. So I notified Amazon and they stated they would replace it in full, as well as pay shipping costs! Only one of the many reasons I always choose to shop at their site!

So save your money on this one, and for around $60 order a super large tarp instead. Attwood Pontoon Boat Covers (21-Feet - 24-Feet ) - Trailerable Pontoon Boat Cover - Boat Covers - Support System For Pontoon Cover - Pontoon Cover'

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