Book Reviews and Money Saving Tips

I am sad to report that my putting is still only mediocre.  I had hoped for a golf miracle, you know splurge on equipment but never practice.  The putter has a nice weight and I got a good pendulum feel on it.  The price is aggressive and the feel is decent so it is a good value at $30.00 . Assembly length: 34 inch Apollo steel shaft and rubber grip Right handed If reviewing a product, it may have been received free of charge. That will NEVER have a bearing on my recommendations.

This is a heavy duty grill brush.  It is solidly constructed, solid enough to use as a weapon if the zombie apocalypse catches you at your grill.   I like the red bristles, they make a point of them being red so if one comes off you will be able to see it on your grill.  This makes sense as I read an article online about the dangers of bristles adhering to food and being ingested to the detriment of the intestinal tract. This is a nice brush and will get a lot of use. Strong stainless Steel brush construction Nylon brisk brush bristles Dual rubber grip handles Hanging hook to store at grill If reviewing a product, it may have been received free of charge. That will NEVER have a bearing on my recommendations.

This light bulb gives a strong light and is dimmable which makes it ideal for high hat type lights.  It has the beauty of long life which, for me, makes LED lights my first choice.  I hate changing light bulbs, particularly with high ceilings.   The bulb feels heavy like the old outdoor spots felt and it does state that the bulb can be used in wet locations.  I like the bulb and it’s cost of operation but mostly due to it’s long life expectancy. Estimated yearly energy cost: $1.20 (based on 3 hours/day, 11 cent/kWh, costs depend on rates and use) The classic glass design provides a bright, white light, perfect for general room lighting Longer lifetime and uses up to 90% less energy than traditional sources Ideal for use in recessed cans and track light fixture applications Suitable for wet locations If reviewing a product, it may have been received free of charge. That will NEVER have a bearing ...

This suitcase deserves a WOW!  it may be the best looking suitcase I have ever seen, let alone owned.  It really does spin on the wheels and the move very smoothly.  The suitcase expands with a zipper for the larger loads.  It is separated into sides with hold downs that have pockets on either side.   This is not going to be mistaken for someone else's suitcase, it is really good looking.  I will report back if it doesn't hold up. If reviewing a product, it may have been received free of charge. That will NEVER have a bearing on my recommendations.

If you are moving and go to USPS.com to change your address you may be surprised with the coupons that are available.  The one most valuable to me is the Amazon Move Coupon which gives you  10% off your Amazon purchases for 90 days from when you  have created the Move account. Select the Amazon Move coupon at USPS and you  will get an email giving you a link to create the Move account.  Kudos to Amazon!

I just reviewed the First Order Heavy Scout Walker and this will be somewhat repetitive. I don’t know if the Disney connection of owning the Star Wars franchise is impacting the Lego line or not.  This unit has lots of pieces and that is always good with Legos.  The Heavy Waker  did not impress me with it’s design..  It doesn’t appear to have the thoughtful and often realistic nature of traditional Lego models.  This resistance transport pod I got at the same time seems like it had a more thoughtful design.  Another thing I noticed is the packaging seems to be decreasing in quality.  The packaging does not in any way deter the function or fun of the Lego set but it would hopefully tie in with a price decrease but I haven’t noticed that.   So as always, Lego makes a good, challenging toy that provokes learning when your kid says the heck with the diagram and creates his own walker, for that it gets the usual 5 stars plus they alway...

Special Thanks to my buddy Gerry for sending me this video.  It is the season to be jolly and to be scammed so  watch and learn!

I don’t know if the Disney connection of owning the Star Wars franchise is impacting the Lego line or not.  This unit has lots of pieces and that is always good with Legos.  I’m not sure about the design though.  It doesn’t appear to have the thoughtful and often realistic nature of traditional Lego models.  The resistance transport pod I got at the same time seems like it had a more thoughtful design.  Another thing I noticed is the packaging seems to be decreasing in quality.  The packaging does not in any way deter the function or fun of the Lego set but it would hopefully tie in with a price decrease but I haven’t noticed that.   So as always, Lego makes a good, challenging toy that provokes learning when your kid says the heck with the diagram and creates his own walker, for that it gets the usual 5 stars.  Characters included are General Hux, a First Order Gunner, Resistance Trooper and a First Order Flametrooper. If r...

This book sale is an opportunity to put your money where your mouth is! A group of authors are providing  25  books at a ridiculously  CHEAP  price and  100%  of the  royalties  will be  donated  to   One America Appeal   for Hurricane Relief. This is a Win-Win situation  if there ever was one.  You're getting hours of great reading and doing good as a bonus! Link R.E. McDermott's books alone are worth far more than $10,  I have read them all and loved them.  Go to this link and revel in having gotten a terrific bargain and done some good for the poor folks struggling to recover from this years devastating hurricanes. This book may have been received free of charge from a publisher or a publicist. That will NEVER have a bearing on my recommendations.

This is an attractive feeder but.....   It fills easily.   It is filled and ready for action.    After 10 days of use the white top locking mechanism is cracked.  Seems like this is mediocre quality.  ·                         Decorative wood feeder with clear side panels to Monitor seed levels ·                         Twist-to-lock keeps lid secure to keep squirrels out ·                         Easy to fill and clean ·                         Roof overhang keeps seed dry & fresh · ...

This book sale is an opportunity to put your money where your mouth is! A group of authors are providing 25 books at a ridiculously CHEAP price and 100% of the royalties  will be donated to   One America Appeal   for Hurricane Relief. This is a Win-Win situation  if there ever was one.  You're getting hours of great reading and doing good as a bonus! Link R.E. McDermott's books alone are worth far more than $10,  I have read them all and loved them.  Go to this link and revel in having gotten a terrific bargain and done some good for the poor folks struggling to recover from this years devastating hurricanes. This book may have been received free of charge from a publisher or a publicist. That will NEVER have a bearing on my recommendations.

This is way better than my previous air compressor.  This has a air cord long enough to reach up a tire. It has both an AC and DC cord that are plenty long.  It does recommend running the DC version while the car is in auxiliary mode and maybe someone with electric knowledge can explain that but I don’t like the idea that it is drawing down the car battery.  The light is a nice feature as it saves from trying to juggle a flashlight while inflating a tire.   The lighted dial and the ability   to set the pressure and have it stopped when it is reached is also another good feature.  I can only wonder how they got both the inflator hose and the DC cord in the cord storage compartment.  I gave up and used two pieces of Velcro to attach the AC and the DC cords to the handle.   The inflator hose fits fine in the storage area without the other two cords being involve.   Overall this is a good unit.   ...

Here's hoping you have many blessings  to give thanks for today!

This is very clever.   The book is the major feature in this LEGO set.  The faces, figures and scenery are fine but the book is excellent.  It is a well written tutorial on how to make stop action movies.   The proliferation of tablets and phones with cameras that enable video makes this a no-brainer for the adventurous LEGO devotee.   Stop-motion animation is easy with accessible (and free) apps available for tablets and phones. Projects are an easy introduction to animation. Mini movies can be made in as little as an hour. Stop-motion animation scales up to older or more advanced kid moviemakers. Great for ages 8+. Includes a 80 page book. If reviewing a product, it may have been received free of charge. That will NEVER have a bearing on my recommendations.

I am a confessed K’nex fan. They are made in the good old USA and they are fun! This is the first one I have gotten that is focused on the youngest builder.   The recommended ages are 3-5 years old.  The set only has 55 pieces but in my case the hundreds if not thousands of K’nex already here will provide many more options.  The big goggley eyes made these builds adorable. Build new colorful kid K'Nex Zoo friends and go wild! ·                         30 fun building ideas! ·                         Watch your child's imagination grow as they create K'Nex friends of their own! Made In Amreica Articl Link: https://info.rodongroup.com/press-releases/34-k-nex-brands-and-the-rodon-group-building-an-american-made-holiday-seaso...

This is a nice little speaker.  It is about the same size as a 20oz drink can.  It paired just find once I realized that it pairs under MMA3628 which may be obvious but it wasn’t in the instructions by name.  One of my pet peeves is the tiny print on instructions.  For pity sakes, use 10% more paper and put it in a font that is legible to the naked eye!  I ain’t dead yet but my eyes do not focus on any point size that small.    Besides the tiny print, the sound is good and hopefully so is the waterproof part.  I am not courageous enough to test the waterproof part, only time will tell.     Rugged outdoor speaker with IP67 dust and waterproof protection Bluetooth 4.1 connectivity for easy wireless streaming from smart devices Hands-free phone answering function lets you take calls using the speaker Built-in 10-hour rechargeable battery Includes AC/USB adapter, USB charging cable, and 3.5mm...

This is too doggone cute.   The robot gets kids to move and play games rather than parked in front of a screen.  A toy that interacts with the kids and gets them up off of their behinds is truly a welcome sight.  It encourages play and should make the homes cat’s crazy.  It moves and makes noises while encouraging the kids to play while being simplistic enough for very young children to use by themselves.   ​3 ways to play! Alpha fun actions think & move shapes learn & play games. ​teach 'n tag movi can move here, there & everywhere—360 degrees of mobility! ​. Light-up buttons on movi’s head enhance game play. ​see movi’s facial expressions change during play—60+ different faces! ​teaches preschoolers following directions, critical thinking skills & gets them up and moving! If reviewing a product, it may have been received free of charge. That will NEVER have a bearing on my recommendations.

Hmm, apparently I am not super discerning when looking at light bulbs.  I tested this and I did not notice any blue tint.  I only mention that as I read some of the other reviews and there were some concerns about the color of the light.   I had no color concerns.  It seemed bright, not quite as bright as the 100 watt it replaced but considering the life span and what a pain it is to change that light bulb due to it’s location, I am totally pleased with this bulb.  I did try and test it in my track lighting over my work bench but it was a little too big to fit into the track lighting hoods.  Considering the draw I thought I could replace the 60 watt bulbs in the track lighting but alas these don’t fit.  Otherwise this seems life a excellent value at $8.99! ·                      Dimmable ·        ...

This  is a surprisingly spacious golf bag while not being enormous.  You could carry this cart bag without difficulty.   The orange trim is just that trim, it doesn’t try and convince anyone of your sports team allegiance.   There are pockets everywhere.  There are an adequate number of slots to keep your clubs organized.  Construction seems quite solid. I like the bag. ·                         Extra padded carry Sling ·                         7-Way padded top with full length dividers ·                         7 large storage pockets ·         ...

Star Wars is always a good idea in my family.  The coffee cup Darth Vader I'm not your father joke never gets old.  This wall covering is easily removable if it does get old but the Star Wars fans in this family run from 8 to 71 years in age so this will be a hit for years to come.  Good readily recognizable graphics ·                         Easy to apply - just peel and stick ·                         Applies to any smooth surface ·                         Removable and repositionable with no sticky residue If reviewing a product, it may have been received free of charge. That will NEVER have a bearing on my...

I blogged on this on July 10, 2016.   The battery worked fine for over a year.  Today I noticed the phone was warm and I popped the cover to find this battery swollen.  It looked just like the Samsung battery it replaced.  I don't know if it is an inherent flaw in the S4 or if the battery is defective.  I do know that the RAVPower website has not warranty information  on the battery.  So buyer BEWARE this may not be the product for you and BEWARE of a company that doesn't have clear warranty information on their web site. RAVPower 2800mah Samsung Galaxy S4 Replacement Battery for I9500, I9505, Sgh-m919 (T-mobile), Sch-i545 (Verizon), Sgh-i337 (At&t), Sph-l720 (Sprint), with NFC [Not for Galaxy S4 Active or S4 Mini] This battery is charging well and is a great replacement for the faulty batteries that came in the Samsung S4.   After my phone shut down and I opened the case to see the severely bulged battery, I googled the...

This set has a nice range of colors.  The metal tin also is a nice feature as it keeps the pencils in one place and decreases the need for re-sharpening.   The only thing the set fails to do is improve my drawing skills. ·                         Explore the world of art! Faber castell grip sketch pencils with a soft-grip zone allows for comfortable writing ·                         The lead is break-resistant and easy-to-sharpen ·                         Includes 2 grip sketch pencils and a sharpener ·                   ...

I love this type of storage.  The fabric seems durable and the size is good for a variety of things.  Much nice looking than the shoe boxes they replaced.  The glittery pineapples are a bit much but then who sees them in the closet. From the vendor: Non-woven Imported FITS INTO CUBE ORGANIZER - Storage bin measures 11x11x11", the perfect size for most cube organizers STURDY CONSTRUCTION - Non-woven fabric storage bins have cardboard sides and a removable bottom to give shape and add structure while still allowing bins to fold flat when not in use ALWAYS TRENDY & STYLISH - These bins are available in fun, trendy and adorable styles and colors, a perfect addition to a nursery, home office, craft room, or use as a laundry hamper, adds a splash of color to any room while also being functional ORGANIZATIONAL SOLUTION FOR THE HOME - Find a place for knick knacks, children's' toys, magazines, craft supplies, and more with these sturdy, everyday bins that can b...

Phone snaps in on the right of the photo. This works great!  I plugged it into my power port (the port formerly  known as the cigarette lighter port) and it worked immediately.  I then took the power port adapter off and plugged it into my car USB and Viola! It worked there as well.  So while I was tinkering I tried it on my desktop USB and my desktop did not like it but I tried it on my laptop USB extender and it worked just fine.  So not only does it give me a wireless charging option in the car it gives me a backup wireless charger for the desk.   My only  concern is that the vent clip was very difficult to get on the vent.  Once on the vent, it was very sturdy feeling but it was not easy to get on.  I may not use it on the vent and might just stick it in the glove box and charge there.  Regardless that small shortcoming does not detract from the versatility of this charger.  (I was going to photo it with my phone...