Book Reviews and Money Saving Tips

The watch is beautiful.  The three things my wife didn't like are it is too heavy.  It is too hard to get on and off and too big.  The size makes her think it looks like a man's watch.   In fairness that may be age related as the younger women do seem to wear much bigger watches.  This is the second Invicta watch I have reviewed.  Both of them should have had a diagram on how to use the watch band.  Keep in mind I'm a technut and can get a hard drive out of a laptop and not destroy anything.   I note that because having issues with how to make a watch band work sounds ludicrous but both bands were difficult to figure out.   The hard off and on didn't bother me once I figured it out but this watch fastens in a manner which and I quote my bride, "will ruin my nails!" The watch was easy to set and the manual did have a clear diagram on that.   So you have a very attractive watch that needs better docum...

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This watch looks great.  It is striking in appearance and looks quite manly.  It feels heavy on the arm.  Just for yucks I weighed it and it is 4.1 oz compared to my dress watch at 3.2 oz.  It felt like it weighed a lot more than my very slim/sleek dress watch.  I think that is due to the size.  2 1/8 " from the 9 to the tip of the middle stem vs. 1. 1/4" on my dress watch.  With all that said, if you are looking for a diver looking watch this looks the part.  It is water resistant not water proof so it is really a diver looking watch.  The two extra large buttons are for quick correction of date and quick correction of the 24 hour second time zone.  That allows you to fix those without pulling out the stem (crown).   The day and the date are pretty much irrelevant to any one with normal vision.  I guess you  have to have extraordinary vision to use them.  Even with my bifocals, I had to lift them and squi...

Merry Christmas! Free eBooks! 19 of my eBooks will be listed as FREE on Amazon December 22-December 24, 2015 as my gift to my friends and readers. (Often the same people.)  All of my eBooks would have been free but apparently Amazon has some limit as to how many I can give away over the same time period.  Please share with anyone,  any or all of your friends! Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays! Link to my author page and the books:

It is entirely possible this is famous chocolate but I was not familiar with it. I have not eaten the entire box yet but aside from sharing with my bride, this will not be offered to others. It's that good! I know selfish is wrong but this is really tasty stuff and everyone KNOWS dark chocolate is good for you so how can you go wrong. It is good, I don't know what it cost which is probably just as well. It had nice packaging and would make a very nice unisex gift. Who doesn't like chocolate? BTW I did find the price after I wrote the above and at $35 that makes this about $70/pound. It is good but I've had better at half the price.   If reviewing a product, it may have been received free of charge. That will NEVER have a bearing on my recommendations.

This is an attractive watch.  It is hard to find a watch without all the buttons, features and gimmicks.  I'm not a diver and I don't need a watch to be waterproof to 300m.  This is just a watch, no calendar, nothing but the time.  The skeleton style is very popular at the moment.  It is fun to watch a watch.  Overall it is a good looking watch that keeps good time. The negatives are not a big deal.   First I am guessing but I don't imagine many millenniums have seen a watch that winds.  I haven't had a watch that you needed to wine since my 1964 Bulova.  There was nothing in the instruction manual that showed how to wind the watch nor how to set it.  Pictographs are not always insulting.  A couple showing how to wind the watch and set the time would be nice.  In the interest of accuracy I did call the customer support number and found that the watch wound exactly how I thought it should.  However the 1964 wa...

This is a good solution for relatives or cleaning people or really anyone you want to get in but don't to give out a lot of keys.   It set up easily and works easily.   The combination setting is simplistic and as long as you input the correct numbers they do NOT have to be in the correct order.  That isn't really an issue as your average burglar is going to break the window so you really are only deterring relatively honest people. Portable push-button combination lock locking box; padlock stores up to 3 keys on doorknob Key lock box allows for easy key-access in real estate, construction, and general security applications The key lock safe has a push button combination for quick entrance into the box and to retrieving your keys Set your own combination with 1,000 combinations available; keep doors locked for optimal security and allow keyless entry for those you want in The door knob key locker ships ...

I had initial reservations about this chair as it looked suspiciously like a lawn chair.  It isn't a lawn chair and the straps feel more like elastic than the vinyl straps used on lawn chairs.   I like the open weave as it allows for air flow.  When you are parked in front of your computer with the same frequency as I, you can really crave air flow.   The chair is comfortable and has lumbar support.  The head rest is fine but frankly I don't lean back like that while at my desk.   The reclining feature is equally fine but again, not something too useable for me.   The chair comes unassembled.  The good news is they even include a couple of extra bolts and all the tools needed for assembly.   There is bad news though, the assembly instructions are marginal.   The illustrations need to be much larger and or more detailed.  They are to unclear to be much help.  The assembly is fairly intuitive...

The right angle ac plug is nice.  The surge suppressor has mounting slots on the back.  It appears to have a fair level of protection.  I'm not equipped to generate a surge to truly test that aspect.  The downside is there is no consideration for the myriad types of power plugs currently out there.  Entirely too many devices still come with odd shaped power adapters and this surge has no way of plugging in an odd shape without covering another outlet.  The price is $11.00 on Amazon at that price range I didn't see more than a couple of surges that had one outlet located far enough from the others to be used with a larger adapter.  This will be fine as long as you are aware of it's limitations regarding plug usage. A few of the types of power adapters. Note there is only room for one odd shaped power adapter.  There seems pretty limiting.  From the vendor: 1000 Joules of protection, 6-outlet, cord length is 4-Feet I...

It's a good thing I am retired.  I spent close to 3 hours on the phone or on an Internet chat with FIOS representatives today.  I haven't been jerked around that much since the roller coaster at Hershey Park this summer.  Cable in general and in this case FIOS in particular needs some oversight.  A seat mate from France on a flight this summer was highly amused that we pay so much for our "triple plays".  He pays less than $50.00 American for TV, phone and Internet and his Internet is running at more than double the speed of mine.  I was quoted a price in September when I called to complain about the increased lease cost of the "adapter" boxes.  I was told my bill would be reduced if I signed up for a new contract.  The agent told me to ignore the next bill but the following bill would show a $40.00 a month discount.  It didn't! I called and got another rep who denied finding any notes on my file regarding the discount.  I...

This is a nice size, a very clear display and on the loud setting a very loud alarm.  Luckily it has a softer setting on the alarm. It was easy to set the clock and the alarm without opening the included documentation.   The battery backup is nice, but someday I would like to see a clock that the battery backup would keep the clock working through the power outage and not just hold the settings.  Overall this is a nice clock at a good price at $14.49 on Amazon at the time of the review.  If reviewing a product, it may have been received free of charge. That will NEVER have a bearing on my recommendations.

I am sitting here in my new Wranglers and being totally impressed with how comfortable they are.  The fit is spot on and they move as I move with no binding.  They are jean cut but not denim.  The fit is more "modern" and much more acceptable to my kids and grandkids than my old jeans.   These are dressier than my new jeans and sharp enough to wear with a sports coat for that casual semi-dressy look.  I like them.  I did check the label after I saw a negative review stating that they were mis-labeled as 5% spandex and were only 2%,  my label says 5% and I have no clue how you would determine otherwise so it isn't a problem for me.   I like them! ·                         95% Cotton/5% Spandex ·                    ...

This is really a cute seal.   It seems well made and has a very appealing, gentle expression.    I am not sure how you control the front flippers as I saw no means of doing that.   The mouth is traditional hand puppet controlled.   I have a large adult hand and my fingers were no where near the flippers.   There are minimal insets or pockets at the flippers either so don't anticipate using the flippers regardless of the sales description.   If your hand is low enough to put fingers in the minimal flipper pockets, there is no way it will be long enough to operate the mouth.   I like it regardless of the flipper control but more as a stuffed animal for the grandkids than a truly functional hand puppet. ·                           ·               ...

These have a very good sound.  I tried them on my computer and my phone.  I called and left a message on my land line and the microphone performed just fine.  They were as comfortable as my much more expensive headphones are, which sadly isn't all that comfortable.  I frankly prefer ear buds but you do seem to get better sound out of this style.   The switch or microphone on the line is a bit obscure.  There was zero documentation so I pushed it, I guess that cut out the microphone, I wasn't 100% sure.  I would like a clearly labelled off or on and gasp maybe even some documentation.   However I suspect that old guys are not their target market and the kids probably have had this kind of switch on their gaming devices.  I liked the sound but am not keen on zero documentation. ·                         On-ear he...

This is a very attractive and stylish Christmas ornament.   Lennox is a brand that has a long and illustrative history with my family.   It has epitomized quality.   This will make a nice gift for those of you who gift ornaments. From the vendor:       Crafted of porcelain and accented in gold               Includes a gold tassel cord for hanging               Measuring a height of 3.5 Inch List Price $20.00 $12.00 at Amazon at time of review.  If reviewing a product, it may have been received free of charge. That will NEVER have a bearing on my recommendations.

SAT seems like a harmless word but it strikes fear into the stoutest hearts of high school students.  I recall concern about the SAT way back in the 60's when the test was printed on papyrus.  Not overt concern because I was luckily or lucky regarding standardized tests.  I had class mates that quite literally threw up due to stress over the SAT.  Colleges are finally realizing that the overemphasis that has historically been placed on tests such as the SAT has blithely ignored more accurate and reliable measures of potential academic success.  However digression is doing ill service to a review of this product. The first word that came to mind when I picked up the 1336 page behemoth of a book was hernia.  The second, after perusing the table of contents was comprehensive. Not being a teen I was peripherally aware that the SAT has been redesigned for 2016.   (about time)  This book, the accompanying DVD and the Kaplan web site are des...

These are colorful blocks that are safely unisex.  This is not a boy toy or a girl toy, it is just a simple toy for toddlers.  The size of the pieces and the ease of assembly make them quite nice.  The stickers allow you to add alphabet to the blocks.  I am not particularly fond of stickers for toys but I guess it saves labor cost.  The quality seems better than what I recall from Mega Blocks.  I notice they are now from Fisher Price and if recollection serves me that wasn't always the case.  Overall I have found Fisher Price quality above average.  This is a nice set of beginner blocks.  $12.75 at Amazon at the time of the review.  From the Vendor: Teaching tool for lots of learning fun with letters Over 40 pieces with colorful letter stickers to decorate your little learner's school bus Sturdy lid doubles as two building and stacking base plates Compatible with all Mega Blokes First Builders sets for endless building ...

Tried these on as soon as I got them.  The fit is spot on!  They fit perfectly and I like the trim look.  I now find my old jeans too baggy now.  Just because you are over the hill, doesn't mean you have to look like it.  $31.00 at Amazon at the time of the order. From the Vendor: Machine Wash Sits below the waist, slim through the seat and thigh, leg tapers down to a 14.5 inch opening Signature deco stitch on back pocket Authentic Dickies branding on the inside waist Reinforcement throughout the jean If reviewing a product, it may have been received free of charge. That will NEVER have a bearing on my recommendations.

I tested this set with a variety of die cast cars.  It works, as it should with Hot Wheels but it also works with Little Tike, Matchbox and Corgi Junior.   I only not this because I have had some minor issues in the past with Hot Wheel track being a smidge too narrow for other brands.   This set connects up with the old track but has a much better connection scheme.  The old track and new has grooves on the bottom and you inserted a connector in one end of a piece and the same connector in another piece to hold them together.  This new track has a hole in the end and the more rigid pieces have a knob that goes into the hole, this would keep the track from separating as easily as the old track separated.  Just wish they would have included some extra connectors to connect to the old style track.   This set works well and should be a welcome addition to your Hot Wheels collection.  From the vendor: ·    ...

GRRR! Face it we are captive to our TV and Internet providers.  It is a major hassle to change from one provider to another.  Awhile back I got a price increase by FIOS.  I called and expressed my frustration with the continuing inflation of my bill.  More fees, bumping up the box payment leases a dollar or two a box.  Doesn't sound like much but consider the customer base and what a single dollar increase per customer equals.  Try $9,000,000.00 for a single dollar increase. (9,000,000 subscribers as of 4/24/14)   I called FIOS and a service rep told me because I wasn't screaming and ranting she would talk to her supervisor to see if she could help me.  She came back on line and told me she got my bill reduced $40.00 per month.  Wow!  I was totally impressed, I called over a $6.00 per month increase and she was going to get me a $40.00 per month decrease.  Just sign up for a two year agreement.  I would get an em...

I tried these antennas on a NetGear Wifi router and a Verizon Fios Modem with wifi.  I used Wifi Analyzer 3.9.5 to test the signal.  Both wifi signals on both devices are normally -50dbm.  They fluctuate but that is the normal signal strength. From what I have read on the Internet, 3 dbm difference in signal strength, depending on which direction, is a signal either 2 times as strong, or 1/2 as strong.  Both devices went to -40dbm which seems to signify that the antennas do what they are suppose to do.   Now to add a caveat to that information, those were the signals within 10 feet of the devices.   Thirty feet away I saw significant fluctuations and about a -45dbm signal strength.  Still that appears to mean a doubling of signal strength.   My only criticism of the product is that it came with zero, that is ZERO documentation.  Not one single piece of documentation was in the box.  I went to the Linksys site and th...

I have never lauded a garage door opener before.  This one deserves accolades.  Jason Steich of Jason Steich Overhead Doors Inc. installed this for me.  It claims to be a DIY product but I would suggest it for only reasonably competent DIY folks.   It has a LOT of parts.  Jason had only two concerns, the rail is multi-part which is necessary to get it into a box and the battery backup wire was tucked very securely out of the way and necessitated some gymnastics to attach.  Jason told me that this is the consumer model, top of the line and comparable to the commercial model he sells from the same manufacturer.  He said outside of the two minor issues noted above that it installed very easily.  This door is super quiet.  It came with an outside key panel.  The inside button has a screen that gives you the time and the temperature.  There is also a motion detector which turns on the door opener light when ever there i...