Tuesday, 21 September 2010
Swimming - goggle, goggles
I started swimming about 6 months ago to get in shape. Pool chlorine really bothers my eyes; even a little exposure will cause hours of discomfort. I tried 10 or 12 different goggles in a variety of sizes and styles. For my face, the Hydrospex is the most effective. It keeps ANY water from reaching my eyes - all of the others leaked to some degree, regardless of price or configuration. My 10-year-old swam competitively this summer, and she also tried quite a few alternatives before settling on the Hydrospex Jr.
These Speedo goggles have stood up to 5-7 swims per week for 5 months now with no signs of wear. The headband stays adjusted, the gaskets form a great seal around the eyes, and the anti-fog feature is a nice benefit. I've dropped them in the parking lot, and they ride around in my workout bag continuously, as I swim at different locations on different days, but they still look new. I've bought a 2nd set in case I ever manage to lose or break these - I don't want to be without them!
Just a note - some of the other goggles that I tried were also Speedos, and others were also respected brands, but the Hydrospex are by far the best fit for my personal facial shape. Be aware when selecting goggles that each design will fit people differently. It doesn't make a particular brand or model "good" or "bad", it's just what works for an individual. Shop around and try different styles until you find what works for you . Once you find the right fit, you should experience no leakage or discomfort. For me, the Hydrospex are just the right ones. Speedo Hydrospex Swim Goggle (Clear/Clear)
Careful if they are not adjusted correct the lens will appear to double the image under water. The nose bridge is not adjustable so if your head is very small or very large you could have double vision with these. If so look for a goggle with an adjustable nose bridge. I had trouble at first but when I got it adjusted correctly it was ok. Quite good, clear vision and no leaks.
Revised:
I gave these goggles 3 stars before, but I'll change it to 4 now if I can.
If what you need is to keep the water out of your eyes for recreational swimming and playing, these goggles are a good choice. Another reviewer said they were very good at keeping the water out at first, but after a few uses, they may leak; originally I had agreed. I've changed my mind because the leaking may be operator error. After using them for awhile, I forgot to put on the straps as recommended by the packaging. If you do it correctly, and you shouldn't have the problem I had which was - by the time I'd get from one end of any pool to the other, I'd generally (not always) have to lift them up to drain them out. Swimming laps, this was annoying. Then I remembered the detail about how to put those straps on right. They may steam up, but the leaking will be minimal, if I get any at all.
I wear goggles, not so much so I can see underwater, as to protect my eyes from water-gunk and from the burning sensation of chemicals. They're and worth the $5.00 I spent for them on sale at a department store. I'm not sure I'd want to pay Amazon's price + shipping and handling.
I used to be a fan of these goggles and used them for several years with a level of satisfaction that would have earned them at least a four-star rating. However, after purchasing a new pair recently, I've had nothing but problems. No matter how I adjust the fit, I get incredible leaks after only 25m. It's a shame because I really do like the clarity of the lenses and how bright and crisp everything appears through them. Obviously, though, when you're not able to get an effective workout for having to empty your goggles every 100m (if you're lucky), nice lenses are hardly worth having. I won't be spending my money on another pair of these again.
Pros:
They have a solid nose piece.
They act as sunglasses.
They are comfortable.
They barely leak at all.
They form a great seal.
Cons:
The anti-fog coating wears off after about two weeks.
They are a little hard to adjust.
I guess goggles is one of those things that either works for you or it doesn't. Most of Speedo's goggles have great reviews so I wasn't sure which ones would work for me. Ordered the oversized Baja model which wasn't up to the mark for me because it hurt after wearing it for some time. Replaced them with these Hydrospex goggles and these are PERFECT! Very comfortable to wear, keep the water out completely, do not get foggy (I ordered the black ones), and do not hurt at all.
These goggles are great! I just took up swimming and my husband recommended this kind with the hard piece between the lenses and they are great! Never fog up and never leak - nice snug fit. I love them! - Swimming - Speedo - Goggles - Goggle'
Detail Products
Detail Reviews
Click here for more information
Paperless Office - scanner, fujitsu
Great tool. What a scanner should be. This is another world from the speed and software efficiency you have in the average scanner and All In One Printers. So I am happy to have both a AIO device and this great tool for document management.
My use:
Now all the invoices and in general, all my printed documents are converted into searchable pdf into an easy to access archive.
I can recover from a fax or a printed document and edit it in word or excel tables or iWork and save a lot of time retyping
Business cards are archived in a short time and included in my address book and so also on my iPhone.
PLUS
A single, easy to use, application manages the very fast scanning and efficient OCR conversion of printed documents outputting directly in searchable PDF, Word, Excel, email attachment, address book and VCF contacts. Also business card OCR is quiet effective and the limit is due to strange character and graphics and you can find on some more creative cards.
Compared to what you find in the AIO devices and average scanners, paper handling is superior and errors are avoided. In the case of skipped pages (Happens rarely) a sensor warns you and show you which page is missing.
CONS
Only shortcoming is that Acrobat Pro is included in version 8.0 and not the last 9.0 but I suppose that this will change soon. Fujitsu ScanSnap S1500M Instant PDF Sheet-Fed Scanner for the Macintosh
But I mean this in a good way. The ScanSnap S1500M gobbles up piles of paper at an amazing rate. One-side or two-side scanning takes the same time. I have put just about every type of paper through it, often of mixed sizes and types (e.g., legal and letter size, 3x5 cards, newspaper and magazine clippings, unfolded brochures). A carrier sheet is available for crumpled, folded, or extremely thin paper. I've only had one paper jam (an odd-shaped, somewhat crumpled page that I ran without using the carrier sheet). Clearing jams is trivially easy because of the almost straight-through paper path. I am amazed by the quality of the scans. Photos sometimes look better than the originals. It small and almost silent. The software is easy to use. I have seldom, if ever, had a computer peripheral that I was as happy with.
I've scanned approximately 15,000 pages with this scanner and it couldn't have been easier. I did get the occasional "paper jam" when the sheet feeder picked up the next page as it was feeding the current page. Clearing a jam is trivial: pop the cover open, remove the pages, snap the cover back, continue scanning. Considering I was feeding in papers from 15 - 20 years ago, I expected the pages to occasionally stick together. This scanner is worth every penny.
I'm a proud new owner of a ScanSnap S1500M. I've owned many flatbed scanners and a multifunction device with a scanner, and I have to say the ScanSnap is among the best. Like most people, I've been digitizing my documents to reduce clutter. However, with my flatbed scanner, it gets very tedious to open the lid, flip the page, then click on the scanning software to continue scanning. A few pages takes a lot of time to digitize. With my ADF-equipped scanners, it was more hands-free, but the scans tended to be skewed. In all my past scanners, I could not search my PDFs.
My ScanSnap arrived a few days ago, and I've scanned several hundred pages. It is absolutely fast, no joke. Another reviewer said it's a paper eater (to denote scanning speed). It really munches on paper quickly. Actually, it is so quick, I spend more time preparing the documents (unstaple, arrange, etc.) than running it through the scanner. Plus, Fujitsu did a great job with the footprint. It is a very small scanner. Just a little bit wider than a sheet of paper, and maybe half as tall as the long side of a sheet of paper. The trays also fold in, so it looks like a small rectangular block when it's all folded in. The sheet feeding tends to be pretty straight. It did jam a few times, but they tend to be on thin sheets of paper. In case of a jam, there is a compartment you open up, just like un-jamming an office photocopier. Overall, I am very pleased with the scanner device.
The reason I gave it an overall 4 Stars is because their software needs some improvements. First of all, there's no Organizer software that provides the added usability of the PC version. If you go on YouTube, and search for S1500M, you will notice they are pitching the S1500 (PC version). In comparing the software capabilities from the video to what I actually got, I really would like the Organizer. As it is, when you press the Scan button on your scanner, it will invoke ScanSnap Manager on your Mac. That piece of software only lets you control what will happen when the Scan button is pressed (Save to a Folder, Send to Word, Quality settings, ...). But, what happens after the scan is not organized for you.
Open the YouTube video address below, then skip to the time 2:10. It talks about Send to ScanSnap Organizer folder. That's not in the Mac version, consequently, the Mac version doesn't get the View, Crop, and Highlight features in ScanSnap Organizer. Why?
[...]
Another complaint is that unlike the PC version, the Mac version only comes with Adobe Acrobat 8.0 Pro (PC comes with 9.0), although I think 8.0 is pretty good already.
The Searchable PDF feature is great. The OCR is pretty good. Here's the bad part though, and I think it's related to not having Organizer. To make the scans searchable, you have to turn on the "Convert to Searchable PDF" checkbox in the ScanSnap Manager's "File option" tab. When you load your documents and press Scan, the software will create the PDF, then there's another step to run it through OCR. If you scan in low volume, just a few sheets at a time, you'll be okay. But I scan 50-150 pages at a time. The ten or so seconds to OCR a page adds up to tens of minutes per batch. During the time it does OCR, you cannot continue scanning!!! Believe me, I tried but the Scan button does nothing while OCR is working. That's not good at all. I would rather scan my next batch, then queue up the OCR jobs. That way, I can scan everything now, then go to lunch or leave it running overnight, then it's done when I get back. But with their current setup, you will have to sit by your desk to wait until you can do your next batch. It's kind of like the old days of printing. Can you imagine yourself printing a big document, then being unable to tell MS Word to print the next document until the first one finished? It's kind of like that. Think about it.
Overall, I absolutely love the scanner device. I think it's great. Good job for putting two scanning units to make double-sided scans in one pass. The software is okay. It is missing an Organizer found in the PC version. The OCR is pretty accurate, but when scanning big batches, the OCR process will bottleneck your next batch to scan. If you're like many who are buying a fast scanner because you have many file cabinets of paper to scan, you will find that bottleneck very annoying.
Now, if Fujitsu could fix those limitations for S1500M users, then my complaints disappear and they would deserve a 5 Star rating. If anyone else has similar experience, please add a Note to Fujitsu section in your review. Hopefully Fujitsu will get the idea and work on it.
NOTE TO FUJITSU: Please have a Mac version of ScanSnap Organizer available for S1500M owners. Also, please enhance your software to include a Scan Job Queueing capability, so that people can scan their next job while the software is crunching another job. Kind of like how printing used to be one at a time, but later it could be Queued into a spooler so that users can get on with their job right away. Those would make your scanners unbeatable. Please strongly consider. - Scansnap - Fujitsu - Scanner - Document Scanner'
Detail Products
Detail Reviews
Click here for more information
Paperless Office - scanner, fujitsu fujitsu Paperless Office - scanner, fujitsu
Handsaws - handsaw, pull saw
As are most men these days I'm into my power tools. This saw may just change your mind for many projects. I have used one for a while now and it lives up to its claims. It will trim flush without marring the surface around what you are cutting. It cuts fast and straight. I've been using mine to cut dovetails and I actually like it better than my router! With the Leigh dovetail jig (about $400) I have a problem with tear-out. Using this saw, I can cut perfect dovetails, tennons and trim very small amounts with ease. It is faster and easier than setting up the expensive jigs. Of course it takes some practice, but once you try one of these saws you may never use a power saw for small cuts again. Shark 10-2204 Dowel/Dovetail/Detail Saw
I have a number of moderately priced Japanese handsaws that I find are absolutely invaluable in traditional Western woodworking. The thin kerfs and double-cut teeth cut through wood amazingly fast, and the technique- cutting on the pull stroke- makes it exceptionally easy to follow a pencil line. This flexible cutoff saw has recently earned a place in my tool bag. The traditional double-cut design means you can cut on either side of the blade without scratching adjacent surfaces, unlike Western saws, which have teeth set to one side and can only be used on one side.Not only will this saw cut protruding dowels about as quickly as it takes to think about it, it does it better than any power tool you can imagine. What kind of power tool could you used to trim a dowel in the middle of an oak floor, after all? With a price less than a package of blades for a Sawzall, it's a bargain.
I picked up this saw at a local hadware store on a spur of the moment thing. A project was held up because I didn't have a flush trim saw. I was putting off getting one, but when I caught sight of this saw on the rack while browsing I decided to buy this Shark saw not knowing how well it would work. I have Japanese ryoba and dozuki saws and really like how they cut on the pull stroke. No binding! Well this Shark saw works great too. The teeth on this saw have no set so it allows you to use it on either side and with either hand. There are some flush trim saws that have teeth set to one side and the disadvantage is that you can only use it right-handed and only on one side. Also, some western style trim saws don't cut totally flush and you have to use a chisel plane or sand them flush. With the Shark you can trim dowels totally flush. The thing to remember when using Japanese saws is to let the saw do the work and that they cut on the PULL stroke. The other nice thing about this Shark saw is that the inexpensive blade is replaceable.
The teeth on this product are for cross-cutting. For making dovetail cuts, you need to have teeth for ripping, since you're cutting parallel to the grain. And the teeth are not aggressive enough for letting the saw do the work. I am cutting on the pull stroke and letting the blade do the work, but it does take a very long time to produce a cut. However, the kerf is nice and thin.
For cutting dovetails, I recommend a pull-saw with a more aggressive blade and with rip-teeth... one of the double-edged pull-saw, one edge for ripping, and the other edge for cross-cutting. I bought a double edged Bear Saw from Lowes, and it's much more effective, and produces a straighter cut.
It's fine for smaller applications like cutting dowels, because the teeth are made for cross-cutting, and perhaps cutting small architectural models, but for dovetailing, you need a more aggressive pull-saw with rip-pattern teeth.
I initially bought this saw because it's advertised as being able to cut dowels or plugs flush with a surrounding surface. I tried this a few times, and was fairly disappointed - it cut easily enough, but scratched the surrounding surface badly! After more research, I learned that a true flush-cut saw does not have any "set" on the teeth (i.e. the teeth aren't bent out from the saw plate. Some set is important to prevent the saw plate from binding in deeper cuts, but it means that the teeth will scratch the surrounding surface if it's used as a flush cut saw).
I eventually bought a true flush cut saw from a popular Canadian woodworking/gardening retailer, and was amazed at how much difference that made. The teeth are truly flush with the saw plate, which means they won't scratch your workpiece when you flush cut a dowel or plug.
Not so on this Shark saw - the teeth do have set and will scratch your workpiece if used for flush cutting. Some significant time spent with a sharpening stone could theoretically remove this set, but the impulse-hardened teeth would make this more difficult, and it would be hard (for me at least) to justify that time and trouble when ready-to-use flush cut saws are available for only a few dollars more.
Second, this saw is advertised as "Ideal for dovetails..." While it may be strictly FUNCTIONAL for dovetails, it's far from ideal. The vast majority of saw cuts made when creating a dovetail are effectively rip cuts, which means you're cutting along or parallel to the grain of the wood. This type of cut is fastest and most efficient when done using a saw with rip style teeth. This Shark saw has teeth shaped for CROSSCUTS (perpendicular to the wood grain), so it's optimized for slicing through wood fibers in this orientation. It will still make rip cuts, but these cuts will be slower and potentially harder to control than they would be with a rip-specific saw. In other words, you could use this saw for an occasional dovetail, but again, it's definitely not "ideal".
The third descriptor in Amazon's title is "detail" saw. Finally an accurate description of an appropriate use for this saw! It does a fine job with small crosscuts and general trimming tasks, and leaves a fairly smooth surface. Nicer saws are available for these general small crosscutting tasks, but this is about as good as it gets for the price.
In summary: If this had been called a "Detail/fine crosscut saw", I would have given it a much higher rating. However, it's NOT a flush cutting or dovetail saw, and shouldn't be advertised as such. If you're looking for good saws for these specific tasks, look elsewhere. - Saw - Pull Saw - Handsaw - Handsaws'
Detail Products
Detail Reviews
Click here for more information
Handsaws - handsaw, pull saw pull saw Handsaws - handsaw, pull saw
gel pen sets - gelly roll pens, gel pen sets
These gel pens are excellently for high lighting as well as for being used for 3d effects. I have tried most of these and can find no fault with them. I do suggest if you are filling in a areas, you move the pen slowly and let the ink flow. For journally, you can write with them as you would any pen. I will be purchasing more of these after the beginning of the month. Sakura Gelly Roll Metallic Medium Point Pen Set, 10-Pack
I love Gelly Roll Pens. I use them all the time for crafts and coloring. This pack was very nice. It had all the colors I wanted plus that very hard to find metallic orange. Buying this pack is so much easier and cheaper than going to a craft store and buying the pens individually. The pens work great as well. They create smooth lines and fill in wonderfully.
I received these markers yesterday and have been using them ever since. It is not a super fine point marker, but it does very well in most situations. Lots of great colors too. They have rubber grips which make them comfortable to use. I would buy them again. - Gel Pen Sets - Gelly Roll Pens'
Detail Products
Detail Reviews
Click here for more information
gel pen sets - gelly roll pens, gel pen sets gelly roll pens gel pen sets - gelly roll pens, gel pen sets
Regional Planning - roads, suburbs
Many recently published books have been devoted to the plight of Urban sprawl. How Cities Work is a recommended addition. Clear, concise and to the point it establishes a solid perspective from which to view the choices that we have made in how we choose to live. The book begins by asserting that the factors that shape any city are a combination of its Transportation, Economics and Politics. After creating a framework for understanding these factors the book presents a critique of the so-called "New Urbanism". Marshall chooses none other than Disney's Celebration in Orlando Florida as his case study for the New Urbanism movement. Contrasting the Potemkin-like Celebration with neighboring Kissimmee, Marshall examines the forces that shaped each. The history of Kissimmee, complete with its ups and downs, demonstrates the workings of an authentic city. Celebration, in comparison, shows itself to be all style and little substance. Cities don't "just happen". It wasn't the simply the car or modern technology that shaped how we live today. Rather, it was the integration of the three forces of Transportation, Economics and Politics. The car is only as good as the roads that get built through government funding and a city's growth is shaped by the politics of zoning boards. The history of the last 50 years has shown that we have chosen a centrifugal direction for these forces. From general neglect of mass transportation to the emergence of restrictive covenants, we've chosen a path that has lead us to the creation of communities that serve to segment and isolate rather than bring together. While Marshall's remedies, especially his penchant for generally left-wing approaches to social policy, may sometimes miss the mark, his book offers an excellent framework from which to approach the task of remaking our cities into much more livable places. How Cities Work : Suburbs, Sprawl, and the Roads Not Taken
A previous reviewer faulted the author for poor analysis. I don't think we read the same book. Throughout the book, the author repeatedly explains issues of economy, transportation, and the power of governmental choice in the formation of cities. He points out, as few new urbanists do, that cities exist for the economic advantage of its citizens, that government makes real decisions about what kind of transportation system is to be utilized, and that it is the transportation system that ultimately determines the form of regions. He effectively articulates that the functions of a city are innate and independent of the forms that city might take. To the author's credit, he clearly identifies his personal preferences for a developmental form that is transit oriented and dominated by urbanist forms.The book is easy to read, and its theories are clearly and repeatedly stated. Is the book correct? Who knows. The author, very ambitiously, attempts to get at the very basics of the existence of the city form, and I think he proffers thoughtful and compelling arguments.
I have been interested in the New Urbanism philosophy for a while now. Living in a walkable community is important to me. In this book, Alex Marshall opened my eyes to different factors involved in maintaining a "traditional city". It challenged my assumptions and changed my opinions. In some ways, Alex is against New Urbanism, saying that usually New Urbanism simply results in buidling new suburban developments. It is not as simple as building houses with front porches within walking distance of a small commercial street. Maintaining a community and a healthy urban core involves transportation, regional government, and politics. Interestingly, Alex challenges that increasing parking and freeway access to a downtown area can kill a City rather than help it. Some people do not like WalMart's because they take business away from smaller community stores. The problems is, this started with the advent of the automobile. If you have a car, you can't blame WalMart. Many people would rather drive to a large box-retail-store to save money than try to find parking at a local small store and pay higher prices. Granted, you might get to know the owner of the local store and meet some neighbors. Gas is cheap and freeways are plentiful. Sadly, there are few alternatives to the car anymore. The minority that would rather live in a "community" and shop at local stores have limited options. As soon as you say "growth restrictions" someone else says you are taking away their right to a new home on 1/2 an acre close to the new freeway paid for and maintained by your tax dollars. What about your right to enjoy a local neighborhood? But, once that person buys their 1/2 acre house, you bet they will fight for growth restrictions to keep that empty stretch of land farther out free from further development. Of course, the developers would have something to say about that. Alex also talks about how suburban developments often seperate housing from retail which makes cars a requirement, and use pods and culdesacs along with feeder streets. This really puts the damper on any ideas of trying to walk or use public transit. It appears that Alex is not a Liberatarian. He supports that governments should not be considered as evil. The entire capitalistic system would not work without the government to enforce the laws, create the transportation systems, print money, form the SEC, etc. Strong and wealthy nations usually have strong governments with a healthy tax base. On a local level, governments used to layout cities, but they don't anymore. Really, state transportation departments build freeways which preceed growth. Now big developers lay out "communities" and turn them over to the city to maintain. Alex does come up with some suggested solutions, but they are not trivial. Overall, the book is an interesting read.
This is a fine read, with humor and deep feeling, showing the plight of the modern city and therefore the modern soul.Marshall argues convincingly that the unmittigated promotion of the automobile has robbed us of both community and even the convenience it was ostensibly designed to promote, turning our cities into isolated cul-de-sacs and sad little strip malls, with the "city" itself often either blighted or turned into a theme park for tourists.This loss of place, he argues, is not ammended by most of the "new urbanism" that's in vogue, which he claims is simply the same old suburb dressed up in a sentimental veneer. Neither is simply building more roads a viable solution.Marshall looks to government, in its best sense, as a public institution as the beginning to working with this dilema. The easy answer of a market driven laizze-faire approach is no answer at all. Instead he argues that we need to first understand how cities function and how good design can be both practical and pleasing. Individuals shouldn't be the ones driving growth around their own short term benefit- communities should be looking towards the long term good. We all need to get involved, and make some tough choices.I was taken on an interesting ride by this book, with intimate, street level looks at some of the most soulful and souless communities around- Copanhagen, Silicon Valley, Jackson Heights among others. I speak of soul here, because even though the book is crisp and articulate, I could sense that the author had a real relationship with these places and invites us to deepen our own, looking at the quality of our lives, and how that relates to the cities, towns, and burbs we live in. Not only an important book, but also an enjoyable one. - Roads - Regional Planning - Suburbs'
Detail Products
Detail Reviews
Click here for more information
Regional Planning - roads, suburbs regional planning Regional Planning - roads, suburbs
Halloween Decorating - halloween fun, halloween
Certainly worth the small cost, so three stars. But I was disappointed in the number of recipes that have no photograph of the finished item. Given the topic of this cookbook, a photograph of every recipe would have made the book more useful and fun to flip through. For those recipes with no picture and a humorous name, you need to read the recipe to find out what it is. But there are some fun ideas and largely the recipes seem easy enough. Ghoulish Goodies: Creature Feature Cupcakes, Monster Eyeballs, Bat Wings, Funny Bones, Witches' Knuckles, and Much More! (Frightful Cookbook)
If you're looking for some fun treats for Halloween, then Ghoulish Goodies is for you! This adorable cookbook has recipes for candies and goodies, cookies, cakes, party food, drinks and even a Halloween supper. There are darling photographs for most (but not all) of the recipes. There are some deliciously scary looking treats in here that would be great to make for the classroom!
Since olives and cheese are two of the major food groups, I decided to try making the Cheddar Eyeballs. The recipe was easy and delicious, but I came out with about half as many eyeballs as it said I would.
A great idea in this book is to make a frozen hand for your punch bowl. All you have to do is take a rubber surgical glove and rinse it out several times. Fill it with water, tie the wrist tightly closed, and freeze. Once it's frozen solid, cut the glove off the palm and each finger with sharp scissors.
This is a great book for those with kids or for the kid inside of you!
I pre-ordered this book and I'm glad I did! The recipes in this book are great for childrens parties and some are fancy enough for an adult halloween party. I haven't tried any of the recipes yet but they appear easy enough to follow and the photographs are beautiful. Makes me want to pull out the mixing bowls and get started. If you are a fan of Halloween like I am this is definitely a book to add to your collection. Happy Haunting!!
My son fell in love with this book from the moment he saw the cover. He has a list of foods he wants to make from it, and he has already made the cocoa bats and the white chocolate bones. The instructions are clear and easy to follow and the illustrations put the book over the top. These recipes will be used year round in my household.
I picked this up at the Scholastic Book Fair at my son's school - and it's fantastic! I have several Halloween recipe books b/c it's my absolute favorite holiday, and this one is amazing!
1) Fun, unique recipe and "food craft" ideas. The "Ice Scream" cake alone is worth the price of admission
2) Love Sharon's funny, friendly voice
3) Recipe ideas for leftover Halloween candy is brilliant
4) Great ILLUSTRATIONS! The clever art direction and illustrations really set the book apart. A book like this doesn't *need* illustrations of creepy crawlies or scary monsters, but they add such charm and whimsy and shows that the author and publisher were really committed to taking the book to the next level - love it!
-Lara Starr, author of The Frugal Foodie Cookbook
The Frugal Foodie Cookbook: Waste-Not Recipes for the Wise Cook
we just love halloween and we like this book cause it has some very cool things to make and we like to add different things each year. plus it is a very fun way to get the whole family involved and have some fun and grow stronger. thanks
Overall, I enjoyed the author; she's punchy and funny, and delivers great recipies that I can definately use. However, there are a few flaws to this book that make me wish I had purchased the printed copy. While the few pictures were in full color (at least on my PC) there weren't nearly enough pictures for the price of this e-book. There are several recipies that do not have any pictures, and some have cartoony, "concept" artwork that leave much to be desired. Also, the repeatitive instructions gives it an almost condescending tone - nearly every recipe that required melted chocolate explained how to melt it in either the microwave or in a double-boiler. Once would have been enough; no need to beat it over our heads.
Would I recommend this book for others? Sure, if you can get it on sale, or in printed form. Otherwise, don't waste your $10.00.
Of the Halloween books I have read over the past few weeks, this is hands down the best! The introduction is full of nostalgia and visions of Halloweens past. I could not help but smile and nod my head in agreement as she described the excitement of sorting candy in front of the television before bedtime or trading your spoils with your siblings. The introduction is also full of practical information that one should read before rolling up your sleeves to create these festive treats. As a matter of fact, I attempted my first cookie icing (royal icing recipe on p. 61), at her bidding. She was right! It is incredibly simple and beats out any store-bought icing I have purchased in the past. I also purchased paste colorings for the first time (based on her recommendation). I originally checked this book out from the library, but after my family went nuts for the first few recipes, I knew I had to purchase this book and make it a permanent part of my personal library. I cannot wait to photograph the food for our Halloween party this year! Oh, and did I mention that the recipes are delicious? Happy Halloween! - Cookbook - Halloween Decorating - Halloween Fun - Halloween'
Detail Products
Detail Reviews
Click here for more information
Halloween Decorating - halloween fun, halloween cookbook Halloween Decorating - halloween fun, halloween
Airsoft Speed Loader - holster, cheap airsoft guns
I purchased this product (along with it's counterpart, the right tactical leg holster) as part of my wife's Halloween costume. I'm impressed, I'd have to say. These are super cheap in price, but not quality. Very solid construction, and also very adjustable. My wife was able to easily adjust both holsters to fit her, and (just for kicks) I tried them out, too. I'm 6'1, my arms are a bit longer than average, and my legs are almost twice as thick as hers (she's an average sized 5'4 woman). They look pretty awesome, and because of the quality of their construction, I would trust them for real guns, and airsoft (which is what she'll be using them for).
I also want to say (& yes, I know this isn't the seller feedback spot) that amazon got these to us super fast (& FREE shipping!). 4 days from the time I placed the order until I was unpackaging them, & that was after ordering it late on a friday night. UTG Elite Tactical Leg Holster (Left Handed)
I got this holster about a week ago, and use it for my airsoft sidearms.
At first, using just the two leg straps, it worked fine for about 5 minutes, but then began sliding off. I tried tightening it to the point of being uncomfortable, and it still did. Then, I also used the top strap, which is supposed to clip around a web belt. It worked like a charm. Two days later, I went out airsofting with my friends, and it worked great. Before I ordered, I was afraid that it wouldn't be large enough for my gas powered Desert Eagle, but the holster is huge. It can fit any type of pistol, no matter the size, with its adjustable clip. The magazine slot works well, but I think it would be better if it was clip-secured, isntead of velcro, as velcro is somewhat loud to open.
All in all, its a great product, but make sure you have a belt to secure it to.
I find the UTG holster to be a very good product, i have had many holsters for training excersizes and they were no where near the UTG holster, the UTG holster is more of a universal holster for me, seeing is how I train with the desert eagle, with the UTG it actually fits properly without getting in the way of the clip harness..So I rate this excellent, thanks! - M16 - Holster - Airsoft - Cheap Airsoft Guns'
Detail Products
Detail Reviews
Click here for more information
Airsoft Speed Loader - holster, cheap airsoft guns m16 Airsoft Speed Loader - holster, cheap airsoft guns
Calorie Counting - fitness, calories
Before settling on the Polar FT7 Heart Rate Monitor, I did a lot of research on the various types of HRM out there. I was looking for a HRM that wouldn't just give me my heart rate, but I also wanted a bit more features, but I didn't need a lot of features that the higher numbered FT models offered.
When I saw the FT7 model, I was surprised to see so little reviews or mentions of this model. I'm not sure why, maybe this is a newer model or Polar just prefers directing people to the more expensive models because I kept seeing numerous reviews for the F6 or F7, FT40, and FT60 models.
After comparing various Polar HRMs, I settled for the FT7 because it had all the features that I was looking for in a HRM.
Watch/HRM
- Monitors heart rates. I found the monitoring to be accurate except underwater. (I'll go into detail about that a bit later.)
- Counts Calories. The Calorie counter seems to be quite accurate. I have used it for walking, spinning classes, swimming, and strength training sessions and the calorie counts are reasonable.
- Target heart rate graph. The graph is useful for seeing where you are and if you're within your minimum and maximum HR "fitness" ranges during a session.
- Very user friendly. Even though there aren't any instructions on setting up the watch, I didn't think they were needed. I didn't even bother looking at the manual until I was done configuring the watch, but I've never been one to read manuals. However, others may find the lack of a detailed manual a bit frustrating.
- Stores Training Files. Which include records of session durations, calories burned, average HR, Maximum HR, and the amount of time your workout HR was spent in the target range.
- Weekly Summaries. This basically sums up the total amount of time spent training, the total calories during each session, and how many sessions during the week.
- Settings are very easy to change especially if you have any weight changes and want to keep an accurate count of calories being burned.
- There is also a backlight, which is quite handy if you're somewhere with minimal lighting.
- I also found out that if you hold the "down arrow" button, you can change the time to a second time zone that you can set by going through the "quick menu" which is accessed by holding down the "backlight button (*)" which also leads to the "button lock" feature. If you hold down the "up arrow" button, you can change the "Watch face" to just display the time and date or the time and date and logo, which is smaller on the face, but it includes seconds and FT7 logo along the bottom.
- The women's watch is black with a gold stripe down the center of the band. I found the design to be all right. It is less flashy and colorful as the other models, which is one reason I like this watch. I can wear it with my work clothes and it does not stand out much.
- User changeable batteries. This was something I really wanted out of my HRM. I never liked sending something to the manufacturer for replacements even under warranty. I just don't like dealing with shipping, waiting, and extra fees.
- Water Resistant. I have used this HRM in the pool and the monitoring is relatively accurate when it actually reads the transmitter. I believe the Polar website notes that in some highly chlorinated pools or seawater the transmitter will not be picked up underwater. The pool in my gym is very chlorinated and there were times when the HRM will not pick up my heart rate. But if I just sit still in the water for a minute or so the watch will pick up the signal again. Though this can get annoying if you are trying to swim laps for endurance. The watch still gives me a fair calculation of calories I have burned during my swim sessions. Though the calorie count is most likely lower since I'm not sure how long the watch is not reading my heart rate during times when I am swimming several laps nonstop. I also tried using this in a saltwater treated pool and the moment I went underwater the transmitter does not work at all. So I'm guessing that this HRM will not work if you are swimming in the ocean.
Chest Strap
- The Chest strap is very comfortable, and I usually don't feel it, but then again it might be because I'm used to having something strapped around my chest all day. And I have had no problems of it slipping. It is also recommended to wet the straps a little. I usually just wet my hands a bit and rub against the cloth area, and I'm good to go.
- User changeable batteries. The transmitter pops off easily from the strap, and like the watch, I can change my own batteries, but unfortunately the watch and transmitter use different types of batteries.
- Another perk is that most of the machines in my gym also pick up the transmitter readings, allowing me not have to keep glancing at my watch while I'm on the elliptical or cycling.
Overall, I really like this watch. For the price I paid, it was worth it and it gives me all the basic things I need to monitor my workout sessions.
If you want a simple watch that gives you fairly accurate heart rates, calorie burns, training records, and user changeable batteries the FT7 is a cheaper option to the FT40 and FT60 models. Polar FT7 Men's Heart Rate Monitor Watch (Black / Silver)
I've had the ft7 for maybe two weeks now, using it many times, since it is my first heart rate monitor. Overall, i think it is a good deal. It feels and looks like a high-quality instrument - solid, if not "flashy". It fits my wrists just fine and seems to have plenty of adjustment for larger wrists (I have fairly small wrists for a guy, at a "healthy" weight of 157 at 5'8", at age 40). I believe the watch band is anti-microbial (and anyway, has a cool yet subtle almost snakeskin kind of look to it). The band's connection to the watch seems quite integrated and sturdy, with the vertical thickness of the band being the same as the watch where the two meet. The watch's main body, while plenty large, does not dwarf my wrist or anything.
I understand that it is a fairly recent development for Polar that the chest strap and the watch will both take regular batteries, rather than having to order replacements from Polar. Certainly that is more convenient. Also as I reviewed potentially replacing my ft7 (see reason below), I found that it is also a treat to have a fabric strap for the heart signal transmitter, as a lot of manufacturers use plastic or rubber (?). I find the fabric strap to be no discomfort at all.
The "heart touch" (i think that's the name) feature, is at least a cool novelty - bring your watch close to your heart strap and the watch will beep then flash to show the time, then go back to the previous display after a few seconds.
You can manually rotate through several displays as you are training. I would prefer a display that shows the heart rate and the training time at once, but that combination doesn't exist. The heart rate is a part of one of the combo displays, but oddly, it is paired with the time of day rather than the training time.
Also, the timing functions are rudimentary. As far as i can tell (and i've read the manual too), there isn't a timer or stopwatch function separate from the heart rate training - to use any kind of timer you must "start training" which then looks for a heart signal. If you continue without the strap, it will warn you there's no heart signal, but once you acknowledge that, that warning disappears and you'll see the timer again. There is no interval or lap timing or countdown function, which seems odd to me as a newbie, for a $110 watch, even if lesser timer/stopwatch functions might be usual for this heart rate monitor watch industry. The watch just keeps track of your training duration, but you can pause and continue your work as many times as you want.
The recording of your training sessions is exceptional - the manual said up to 99 training files will be saved. I know i've already got over 20 that are definitely in the watch.
It also automatically keeps track of how much time you spend in "fat burning" or "fitness" zones during your workout. The calculation for that is automatic based on the input you gave when you set up the watch. (age, height, weight, maximum heart rate).
I'll emphasize that this watch will allow you to change your maximum heart rate setting, which presumably will change the watch's calculations for your different training zones (I'm not sure how big the effect is, having just learned enough about my probable true maximum heart rate to change it today). I've read that for similarly trained people of the same age in the same athletic endeavors, max HR can differ by as much as 60 bpm (!), so this feature seems very important. I seem to have a much higher max HR than what the usual formulas calculate. (That, or the watch doesn't detect HR well, which I don't think is the case, as I've noticed this tendency for a long time on gym equipment with pulse detectors).
Besides being able to set your own maximum heart rate, the ft7 has a zone alarm, that will beep when your heart rate has exceeded the limit (which you can set). UNFORTUNATELY (and this is why despite liking the watch overall, i will be taking it back), the sound the watch makes is very very low in volume. If I'm biking against the wind - I'll hardly hear it if at all. If I'm running on a quiet trail, I'll probably hear it if i'm listening for it. If i'm running on the sidewalk along a main road, I'll probably not hear it above the vehicle noise. As is, kind of defeats the purpose of having an audible alarm if despite having it I'm always having to steady my hand while running, or let go of the handlebars while riding to see what my heart rate is. I can find no volume adjustment, looking through the watch settings or reading the manual.
I'd like to say I know more about whether this might simply be a problem with my particular watch, or a design defect. I started a forum question at Polar's site, but got little response. One other person said they had the same problem there, last i checked. The watch's alarm-clock function also has a very low volume when it goes off, so perhaps that is an indication that is the particular watch and not a design defect.
The problem has turned what was an acceptable impulse purchase into a situation where I've investigated models much more thoroughly, and I think I'll try a Timex, mostly because they do tend to have much better timer/interval/stopwatch functions, and I'd like to see if they're cheaper prices, on the average, are worth it.
That being said, otherwise I am overall fond of this watch, and likely would have stayed with it. - Calories - Hrm - Calorie Counting - Fitness'
Detail Products
Detail Reviews
Click here for more information
Calorie Counting - fitness, calories calorie counting Calorie Counting - fitness, calories
Radio Alarm Clock - clock radio, dual alarm clock
My wife and I have been using the same clock radio for the past 20 years - It's a dual alarm Panasonic and it still works pretty well. Some of its features such as individual up/down alarm/time set for the minutes and hours are not even available on clocks today. And it has a 10 minute snooze - not nine minutes, another feature hard to find these days. But it's lacking in other areas such as no battery backup. So we decided to replace the old clock.
Some research was necessary. For the most part, only Timex, RCA and Sony have competitive products. My requirements were simple - AM/FM dual alarm, battery backup, 10 minute snooze, easy to read display, and not too bright. I did not need a CD or MP3 option. Here's why I bought the Sony ICFC180 and rate it so highly:
Form Factor and Buttons: This is not a large clock radio - it's about six inches square. The case is pretty much all white. Buttons are well spaced and nicely shaped. You can easily learn to use this clock in the dark or by feel alone.
Display: The backlit LCD displays not only the time, but both the alarm settings, each in its own quadrant. This is a great feature. The time is large enough to read from across the room although it could have been a bit larger. The alarm displays are smaller, but fine for viewing bedside. Viewing from different angles seems fine. It has two manual brightness levels and here Sony cheaped out a bit - an auto dimmer with sensor would have been nice. The high level is fine for the day and the low level is acceptable for the night, but who's going to move the tiny switch each day? I leave it on the low setting. I really like the room dark when I sleep and I would have preferred the low level to be a bit dimmer. The display is mostly green, with orange for the weekday alarms. The green is fine, but the orange is just a bit too bright. But again, it's acceptable.
Time Features: Auto time set - well not really. The auto time set feature prominently displayed on the box is a bit misleading. Unlike other clocks (such as from RCA) which can set the date and time and change daylight savings automatically, this clock is just set at the factory and uses a lithium battery to keep the time. If you happen to live on the east coast of the United States, then the time is correct when you first plug it in. Otherwise, you need to adjust the time zone. Since the clock doesn't know the date, daylight savings is also manual, but here at least Sony provided a single button to change the 1 hour offset. My only complaint is that the daylight savings button is on the top and could be accidentally pushed - the display does show an icon for the 1 hour offset, but it's really tiny. I would have made the daylight savings feature a toggle switch (not a push button) and put it on the back - you only use it twice a year.
Radio: Old style analog display and thumb wheel for tuning. Digital with presets would have been nice, but let's not forget, this clock only cost $25. The tuning wheel is stiff enough that it won't be accidentally changed when pickup up, moving, or just dusting the clock.
Alarm: Here's where this clock really shines. The box says it has two alarms, but in reality it has four individual alarms! The thinking by Sony is that two alarms are for the weekdays and two are for the weekends, but since the weekday/weekend feature is a manual push button, you can really use the alarms however you wish. My kids have Timex clock radios with a 7-5-2 feature which lets you determine if the alarm should be used for weekdays, weekends, or both. This is nice because it's automatic, but on the other hand you only get two alarms and have less flexibility. I think the Sony solution is excellent. The clock also makes it totally clear which alarms are active - orange background for weekdays, green background for weekends, and no display in the quadrant when the alarm is off. Setting the alarm time is also very easy with a separate twist knob for each displayed alarm. The time can be adjusted forward or backward one minute at a time. Holding forward or backward changes the minutes quickly and after a few seconds, switches to 10 minute increments. This is a much better solution than just increasing the speed as most other clocks do. In fact, the only other clock that works better is my old Panasonic which has separate forward and backward buttons for both the minutes and the hours. Regardless, this clock has excellent time set controls!
Snooze: What is it with 9 minute snooze alarms? My theory is that increments of 9 are much harder to add in your head and all that thinking wakes you up - but in reality I think it harks back to a limitation of the old mechanical alarm clocks. Anyway, I needed a 10 minute snooze and this clock has that. Plus, if you continue to press the snooze button (which is big and easy to find without looking), the snooze can be increased in 10 minute increments up to an hour - a nice feature. The clock even blinks the alarm set time after you press snooze to indicate you're beyond the original wake up time.
So that's about it. There are some other features (nap timer, alarm melodies, no power no problem), but I haven't really used these much. If you're looking for similar features and also need a CD player, Sony makes another Dream Machine alarm clock (ICF-CD843V), but that one costs $70 and looks like a weird space helmet. All in all, this is an excellent clock radio with well designed controls, tons of features, and a low price. Sony ICFC180 AM/FM Clock Radio
After my dog spilled water on my last Sony clock, i was on the hunt for the new one... What sold me on this was compact size, "no power, no problem" and the fact that you can see what time the alarm is set at right on the front and know that its on or not... no guessing....
The bonuses that add something extra is the ability to set two alarms each for both weekdays and weekends and each has their own optional melody instead of radio or buzzer. I also like the way this buzzer works, which starts off infrequent and builds up to more annoying the longer it goes off... that gives me a chance to turn it off or hit snooze before it goes hog wild.
Unlike other reviews, I think the back lights are perfect... the dim at night and bright during the day are exactly how I would like them, although I noticed that my backlight is orange where the one pictured is green. Maybe that makes a difference. One last bonus is I found this at Target as part of the "liv" series which are tan in color... usually you are stuck with white or black and the earth tone was a nice touch.
Overall, I'm glad my dog ruined my old one! - Dual Alarm Clock - Alarm Clock Radio - Clock Radio - Alarm Clock'
Detail Products
Detail Reviews
Click here for more information
Radio Alarm Clock - clock radio, dual alarm clock alarm clock Radio Alarm Clock - clock radio, dual alarm clock
National Nail - staplers, hammer
The Stinger is a hammer-tacker type staple gun that allows you to shoot a staple and a plastic cap with one swing. Normal hammer tackers have been used for years to install things like housewrap, but the thin staple doesn't have much holding power with housewraps, felt, roofing paper, etc. It's easy to tear the paper. But the addition of a plastic cap between the staple and the wrap offers greatly improved holding power.
Loading the Stinger: The staples load as they would in any hammer tacker/stapler. But the plastic cap strip loads separately, and it's hard to guess how. The only instructions provided are three small black and white photographs with brief captions. I had to resort to the manufacturer's website. There's a great video showing how to load the staples and caps into the Stinger (I guess they realized the need for instructions only after their rush to market). Of course, the video probably won't help you at the jobsite.
Ergonomics: I'm an average-sized man, and I found it very difficult to get a grip on the Stinger that allowed me to swing it effectively. The large plastic cap magazine is in the way. Normal hammer tacker/staplers have narrow handles that you can grip in many different positions--like a hammer. If you've used a hammer tacker, or any hammer, you know how important a good grip and swing is to effective driving. The bulky cap magazine should have been mounted elsewhere to allow for a normal grip. The lack of a good grip added greatly to the other problems I experienced.
Making the Cut: Like another reviewer, I had repeated problems with the stapler not cutting the link between caps when swung. You see, in addition to driving the staple when the head hits the paper, a sharp edge is supposed to automatically cut the small connectors between plastic caps. But if your swing isn't quite right, it's likely that this cutting action will fail. When the cut fails and you pull the stapler back for the next swing, several caps get pulled out and wasted. I could not find any way to push them back into the Stinger. You just have to twist them off and keep going. This is a very, very annoying problem. It keeps you from moving quickly and developing a rhythm. You begin to doubt each swing, not wanting to pull back quickly in case the cut wasn't successful.
Trigger Mechanism: Between each swing you have to pull a trigger with your index finger that advances the plastic caps. The trigger is well-located and easily pulled, but the advancing mechanism is far from accurate. When the caps fail to advance properly, which happened at least one of every dozen or so swings, the staple will not be centered on the cap. If it's too far off center, it does no good at all and will likely fall off the siding.
Even worse, if the caps don't advance properly, the cutting edge will strike part of the cap instead of the cap connectors. If you swing hard enough, the Stinger will cut through the edge of the cap, but then you'll have the same problem again and again until you stop and adjust the cap strip. And the only way to do that is to advance the strip and tear off and throw away one or more caps.
Conclusion: Avoid this tool. You quickly get to the point where every swing is a shot in the dark. You are swinging harder to make up for the poorly-designed cutter, and you're slowing down in case it doesn't cut. You're also unsure of the trigger advance, so you're slowing down to look at the cap strip position before swinging. Every unsuccessful swing becomes more and more aggravating, and soon you'll wish you'd never heard of this flimsy tool.
And that's my last point: The Stinger just isn't made well. The plastic on the cap magazine is thin and cheap. The metal trigger actually bent to the point of becoming inoperable, so by the end of one wall I had to pull the cap strip out manually one cap after each swing. And these are just some of the problems I experienced. It took me and two workers almost ninety frustrating minutes to install wrap on one single-story wall.
What's a guy (or gal) to do? Stick with a regular hammer tacker/stapler. Or buy the nails that come in a box with a plastic cap on each nail. Or, if you can justify the expense, buy a pneumatic cap stapler...of course, they cost about eight times as much. In any event, save yourself the expense and extreme frustration of this poorly-designed, cheaply-built contraption.
One last thing: I called the manufacturer about these problems. They did not care about the problems I experienced and told me that the Stinger carries NO WARRANTY WHATSOEVER! But I could seek a refund from the retailer. Of course, that retailer won't take back a partially-used box of staples and caps. And the smallest box of staples/caps costs more than half as much as the Stinger. National Nail 136400 Stinger Cap Stapler
We found this at a local home improvement store. The salesman suggested it when we told him we wanted to put up roofing felt under cedar siding we were installing. It's not something we'd use very often, but you can use it as a regular slap stapler, too (by not loading a roll of caps). And the salesman we spoke to seemed enthusiastic about its capability to affix staples and caps in one stroke.
Unfortunately, this thing just doesn't work reliably. We tried different ways of holding it and hammering with it, but never could find our groove. The staples would land in different places on the cap. Sometimes they were too close to the edge of the cap, and we had to pull them out. Other times one or both sides of the staple would crumple. Those would have to come out, too.
It also had jammed repeatedly. The spring-loaded rod that pushes the staples forward (similar to the one in staple guns) is supposed to lock into place. But it kept coming loose and pushing back into the row of caps, keeping them from advancing.
When they go in right, these caps are effective. This would be a great item if they'd go in right with any regularity.
If you are going to try one of these, buy at least twice as many staples and caps as you need. And plan to go slowly. - Stinger - Cap Nailer - Hammer - Staplers'
Detail Products
Detail Reviews
Click here for more information
National Nail - staplers, hammer cap nailer National Nail - staplers, hammer
David Carradine - david carradine, vampire
FINALLY AVAILABLE ON DVD!
You know how it is, you're a Bruce Campbell fan too. You'll watch anything he's ever done just because he's in it and then say, "Well, the movie wasn't all that great, but at least Bruce was good." Yeah, Bruce is always good. He's one of those rare universal constants you're always hearing about--like death and taxes, only more fun. He's so good most of the time that you'll add a star or two to your review just because he was there! But now its happened! I can finally say that not only was Bruce good, but I REALLY LIKED THE MOVIE TOO! Okay, so I'm being silly, but I was so charmed by Anthony Hickox's horror/comedy flick SUNDOWN that I still haven't got my head on straight.
Our story centers around the Harrison family. David (played by Jim Meltzer) is an engineer who has developed a machine that can synthesize blood, Morgan Brittany is his beautiful wife Sarah who has a naughty little secret that just might come out soon, and Gwen and Julie are their two overly precious children. Gwen is a bit weird, likes horror movies, and has dreams which might possibly foretell the future.
When we first encounter the Harrisons they are on their way to a town appropriately called Purgatory for a combination family vacation/business trip. It seems that the synthesizer being installed in Puragtory has developed some serious glitches and David's long time fiend and colleague, Shane, has called David in to help straighten things out.
Enter Bruce Campbell. About 20 minutes into the picture. This isn't a big part, but that doesn't keep Bruce from stealing the movie. He plays a sort of sweet, nerdy, academic type whose car breaks down while he too is looking for Purgatory. When he finally gets there the first person he encounters is Sandy White (played by Deborah Foreman), she's a waitress at the local diner and its obviously love at first sight as far as she's concerned.
There are other characters hanging around the town of Purgatory. For example there's David's old buddy Shane (played by Maxwell Caulfield) who seems to have a rather unhealthy interest in both David's wife and his daughter Gwen. And there's Count Mardulak (David Carradine) who owns everything in the town, likes to sleep in a coffin, and is also the object of Bruce Campbell's obsession. And just on the periphery of all this is the mysterious Ethan Jefferson (John Ireland) who definitely seems to be up to no good.
Did I mention that Bruce's character's name is Robert Van Helsing?
There are a lot of laughs along the way, but at the conclusion of the film the Ultimate Showdown between Good and Evil is one that I've never quite seen before and I appreciated the originality. When you aren't really certain if your hero is gonna have a gunfight or a throwdown or whatever in order to beat the villain, I'd say the writer is doing his job!
I'd recommend this film to anyone who likes to laugh and appreciates something a bit different now and then.
SUNDOWN THE VAMPIRE IN RETREAT
Directed by Anthony Hickox
Prod. by Jefferson Richard
Written by John Burgess and Anthony Hickox From a story by John Burgess
Starring: Jim Meltzer, Morgan Brittany, Bruce Campbell, David Carradine, Maxwell Caulfield, Deborah Foreman, M. Emmet Walsh, John Ireland, JohnHancock,Bert Remsury, Sunshine Parker, Marion Eaton, Dabbs Greer, Erin Courlay, Vanessa Pierson
Make-up: Tony Gardner. Sundown: The Vampire in Retreat
Robert Van Helsing (Bruce Campbell) is an incompetent descendant of Count Dracula, exploring the small town of Purgatory in search of his infamous ancestor. But Purgatory is inhabited by reclusive vampires who prefer to take it easy and lounge around in sunglasses and sun cream - a protection against the sun's deadly rays. There is no sign of the Count.David Harrison (Jim Metzler) is an expert in the production of synthetic blood, hired to assist in a project that will ensure the vampires of Purgatory no longer need to kill for food. He is nevertheless unaware that Purgatory is populated by the undead, thinking his work as part of an official experiment. Things go wrong, though. The equipment suddenly ceases to work and the evil Shane (Maxwell Caulfield), the project's original creator, turns up to investigate. He falls in love with Harrison's beautiful wife and, meanwhile, some of the toothy townspeople decide that the traditional ways of obtaining blood are preferable. A war inevitably breaks out, resulting in vampire against human, vampire against vampire. Good versus evil.SUNDOWN is directed by Anthony Hickox of WAXWORK, WAXWORK 2: LOST IN TIME, and HELLRAISER 3: HELL ON EARTH fame. It is a low budget, off-beat film that is perhaps not to everyone's taste. Somewhere in between comedy and horror, SUNDOWN has nevertheless gained cult status, similar to other films in this subgenre like THE LOST BOYS, FRIGHT NIGHT, INNOCENT BLOOD, TALES FROM THE CRYPT: BORDELLO OF BLOOD, and A RETURN TO SALEM'S LOT.The Cast is well chosen: Maxwell THE SUPERNATURALS Caulfield, Dana TWIN PEAKS Ashbrook, Bruce EVIL DEAD Campbell, and David KUNG FU Carradine, who plays Jozek Mardulak aka Count Dracula. M. Emmet Walsh delivers a hilarious performance as Mort Brisby, an ageing vampire/gas station attendant, but SUNDOWN inevitably belongs to Campbell.Point of interest: Hickox's WAXWORK starred Dana Ashbrook, and his sequel WAXWORK 2: LOST IN TIME starred Caulfield, Campbell, and Carradine.
Well as the description pointed out, the vampires are living a boring and sedentary life while their local brainiacs to to better the artificial blood they live on. Sunscreen 5 Million helps them hang out in the daylight so nobody will be suspicious at a deserted town.
Shame on the character cast here for not mentioning veteran actor John Ireland. Been waiting years for this DVD. - Black Comedy - Vampire - David Carradine - Horror Comedy'
Detail Products
Detail Reviews
Click here for more information
David Carradine - david carradine, vampire vampire David Carradine - david carradine, vampire
Smoke Detector - smoke alarms, smokedetector
We live in a 4 level split home. Our gas furnace is on the lower, 3rd level. Two years ago we had several smoke alarms, but only one carbon monoxide detector on the top, bedroom level of our home. One early Saturday morning we awoke to the voice of this alarm broadcasting, "WARNING! CARBON MONOXIDE DETECTED!" over and over again. I got out of bed and took the batteries out of the unit. By then my then 16 year old daughter came out of her room and was watching me. I told her to go back to bed, but she asked me why we weren't going outside to our designated emergency spot. I thought I was being a bad example after all the years of telling the children to get our of the house if an alarm went off. I didn't think there was a problem. I assumed the unit was broken or needed a new battery. I wasn't thinking clearly. So, I put the batteries back in to see if it would go off again. It did. She again asked why we weren't following the rules and going outside, so we left the house and called 911.
When the firemen arrived I kept apologizing for calling them to our home for an obvious mistake. I thought the firemen would tell us it was a false alarm. It wasn't. The heater core had cracked and was leaking carbon monoxide. The levels were high enough to make us confused, but not yet put us to sleep. Had my daughter not watched me handle the alarm I would have gone back to sleep without ever putting the batteries back in. We were very lucky to have my daughter and this CM detector.
The voice made everything so much clearer than just a siren. If it hadn't said "carbon monoxide" I would have left the batteries out and gone back to sleep because I couldn't see any smoke or fire and I was tired. I don't think I would have thought about carbon monoxide. It was well worth every penny. I now have CM detectors on every floor of my home. This talking carbon monoxide detector helped save my families life. Kidde KN-COSM-B Battery-Operated Combination Carbon Monoxide and Smoke Alarm with Talking Alarm
After looking at the excellent ratings for this product, I purchased two units and installed them - one each in the bedroom and the utility room. One day, I was getting the toddler to sleep when I smelt smoke and something burning. Upon exiting the bedroom (which has one detector), I noticed that the house was full of thick black smoke from a "microwave cooking accident". There was no fire. The fact that the smoke detector did not go off bothered me and I did a bit of reading on the detection systems. Turns out that there are two detection mechanisms - ionization and photoelectric...and to cut a long story short, one needs to have both types of mechanisms in operation. The manual of this product pretty much says the same thing on page 6. However, it does not tell me which smoke detection technology the unit uses - information that I can use to purchase a different smoke detector with the other mechanism to compliment this one. I can only know how good this product is when it responds to something that triggers it. It did not pick up smoke that I picked up by smelling, and the documentation is inadequate. That is why I give it a one.
I've installed installed two of these Kidde brand combination smoke and carbon monoxide detectors in my elder parents home. I have one in my own home as well and have found them all to be reliable and trouble free.
What attracted me to this model were its many features:
First, it has a low profile, attractive and unobtrusive design.
Second and perhaps most important, it has a voice speaking function that, in addition to the 85db alert horn, will speak out clear warnings: "FIRE, FIRE" or "DANGER: CARBON MONOXIDE". I think that this feature is a terrific addition toward modern life-safety technology. Indeed, you will likely see more voice warning devices in the near future.
We rely on these detectors to warn us, especially at night when we are sleeping. Awakening to this detector from a deep sleep helps orient you quickly by telling you the specific danger -- clearly and unmistakably. Notably, recent studies have shown that children can sleep through traditional smoke detector alarms, but will respond to voice warnings -- which this unit provides. Thus, placed in or near bedrooms this device can be a true lifesaver.
Another favorite feature is ease of installation. It was a breeze and truly could not be simpler. A screwriver is all you need. A small power drill/driver would speed the process, but is not necessary. Two screws into the ceiling or wall and you are done with the mounting bracket. The detector then just clicks in to place with a clockwise flick of the wrist. This is a do-it-yourselfer's dream. It doesn't get any easier!
Battery maintenance is easy too as all you need do is turn the detector counter-clock wise a few clicks, and down it comes. You slide open the battery cover, take out the old batteries and pop in the new. Replace the detector back in the attached ceiling bracket, give it a slight turn and in it goes with a firm click. Done! Easier than screwing in a light bulb.
Finally, the price is right! Under $40 for a unique life-safety device that is quickly installed and easily maintained.
I have elected to use Energizer lithium batteries and replace them every 12 months -- with no problems. You may wish to change the batteries every 6 or 9 months. Duracells would also be a good choice. I personally would not use the cheaper, so called "heavy duty" batteries in a life-safety device.
I should add that I would also suggest that if you have a home with multiple levels or an apartment with several rooms, having a separate stand-alone carbon monoxide detector elsewhere in the house as part of a total home plan would be a wise investment. Kidde also makes a fine combination model that protects against Carbon Monoxide and Explosive Gas. That unit, which has a digital display, runs on electricity and has a battery back-up system. It plugs in any electric outlet and can stay in the wall socket, or it can be placed flat on a table or dresser.
I would also recommend Kidde's dedicated dual sensor photoelectric/ionization smoke detectors. These dual sensor devices provide maximum warning under fast or slow moving fire conditions. As one never knows what kind of fire could occur, these are the most versatile.
Be sure to test your alarm regularly. REMEMBER that most carbon monoxide detectors NEED TO BE REPLACED about every five to seven years (see manufacturer's guidelines). Similarly, smoke detectors have a useable life span as well. It's usually a little longer than carbon monoxide detectors -- check your manufacturer's guidelines. - Smoke Alarms - Home Safety - Smokedetector - Kidde'
Detail Products
Detail Reviews
Click here for more information
Smoke Detector - smoke alarms, smokedetector smoke alarms Smoke Detector - smoke alarms, smokedetector
Lincoln 144v Grease Gun - lincoln grease gun, grease guns
I bought this grease gun mainly for use on my Loader Backhoe which has over 40 grease fittings and usually uses over 14oz of grease every time I grease it. I have a air grease gun in my shop but I often leave my backhoe at the worksite. This grease gun goes any where with its case and extra battery and cut my grease gun time in half, it is very well made and should last a long time. There is no compairison between this Lincon and a cheaper cordless grease gun. Lincoln Lubrication 1444 14.4 Volt Powerluber Kit - 2 Batteries
i think this tool is going to be good---used only a couple times------the anti-kink spring on one end of flexible hose did come loose --- a little agravating but no biggie--i am looking forward to using it more--maybe they can make the anti-kink spring a little more stable--
My wife bought this grease gun as a gift. Looked like a good idea for the farmer it was intended for - he's got lots of grease fittings on lots of different pieces of equipment and most all of it out in the field. We unpacked the box, charged the batteries up overnight, and headed out to the hay baler the next day.
The motor pumped about six or eight fittings and a whisp of smoke curled out of the motor housing and it quit. I mean 100% dead as a doornail. It was never under strain - the fittings were clear and the device was not laboring. We concluded it was typical made-in-China junk. Even if you get lucky and the one you get works for a while the chances of continuing to work for years aren't good.
It is an expensive piece of equipment at $200 and we were truly unimpressed. Maybe OK for a hobbiest but I'm not hauling one out to my fields and depending on it. I know a lot of people reviewed this a liked it but for $200 you better like it a tone.
BTW, the batteries are non-standard. This tool will have a life expectancy equal to the batteries...even if it does manage to keep working past Day One. Our thinking is that a simple trigger-style manual gun for less than $40 will do the job. This battery operated thing is not the ticket.
One other thing - it is heavy. You'll try to like it because you just blew $200 on it...but you'll be unhappy with the weight. It's a handful and not easy to manipulate when you're crawling around a tractor. It seems like it would be just the ticket...but in practice it's not.
One more thing - give it a workout first thing - grease everything on your block and make sure it keeps working. The Chinese are well-known for short-lived junk and Amazon is very strick about their return policy. Over thirty days and you're out of luck. And don't even think about returning it to the manufacturer. They are not the Lincoln Electric welding people even though their logo looks like it. I searched the Lincoln Electric website and there was no "powerluber" anywhere. I don't know who these guys are but they are not who I thought.
I researched this product on-line and in local stores. I decided on the 14.4V for a gift for my husband. We never realized that greasing farm equipment could be so quick and easy. The battery charged right up, the grease gun purged easily on the first try and the length of the hose made it easy to get to those hard to reach fittings. The Amazon price was the best and there was no shipping.
I have had this tool for going on 3 years. Even though i bought mine from a snap-on dealer i must say that it never ceases to impress me. I have greased hundreds of machines with the only problem being a blown hose 7 months ago. Keep in mind that if a grease fitting is seized and you continuallypull the trigger you can burn the motor up or damage the gears. If you encounter a tight fitting have a 10000 psi hand gun on hand or clean the pin out. The reviews that said it burned up were likely trying to force it to pump past operating pressure. I work on heavy equipment and it is great!!! I got mine with the car charger in a bundle. There also could be a spot to house an extra tube of grease in the case but other than that it was an excellent investment.
Great piece of equipment. The extra battery is a life saver. The first unit I purchased about 5 years ago only had one battery. When the original battery went dead on me ,instead of buying a battery at almost half the cost of a new powerluber, I just ordered a new powerluber with two batteries. Now I have two powerlubers and two new batteries. It was a win win situation for me. The 5 year old unit has never given any trouble.
i recently bought a backhoe and let me tell you greasing it manually is not the way. i bought the lincoln battery powered grease gun and have no regrets. it saves me so much time. it was a great purchase. - Lincoln Grease Gun - Grease Guns'
Detail Products
Detail Reviews
Click here for more information
Lincoln 144v Grease Gun - lincoln grease gun, grease guns grease guns Lincoln 144v Grease Gun - lincoln grease gun, grease guns
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)