tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10462820222037620092024-03-20T03:49:50.475-04:00I LOVE THE DOLLAR TREEI love the dollar tree stores. Here I review their products and rate them just for the fun of it! That's it.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger21125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1046282022203762009.post-38838388379295281332012-12-03T15:10:00.003-05:002012-12-03T15:10:35.162-05:00AMERICAN PATRIOT VELVET ARTFuck Christmas! Yep, I said it. No disrespect to my Christian friends, but jeez, this is the most bastardized, completely fucked in the ass and demonized by greed holiday in our day. God damned Christian stations have been playing the same, regurgitated Christmas music for two weeks now! I think it should be killed off and leave it to the Christians to celebrate the birth of their maker. Everything else should just be flushed down the toilet.<br />
<br />
So, with that, I refuse to review ANY Christmas related item on this site. Instead, I bring to you <i>American Patriot Paint It Yourself Velvet Art. </i>Yeah, that whole thing is the name of this product.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieUMyxxXzvplPgxSUlNkVrCUyzqfgvRBsple2c0E2bps-PpAPJ5AiDgwUsPnyhh3-ioQAwobQZ3Jopwrdu7kQZCWokIWJ4ShCy78uyXDWtYy1QT3tkbqH79coELG2xyB84xBClmOM8Dnc/s1600/2012-11-30_15-55-01_691.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieUMyxxXzvplPgxSUlNkVrCUyzqfgvRBsple2c0E2bps-PpAPJ5AiDgwUsPnyhh3-ioQAwobQZ3Jopwrdu7kQZCWokIWJ4ShCy78uyXDWtYy1QT3tkbqH79coELG2xyB84xBClmOM8Dnc/s400/2012-11-30_15-55-01_691.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<pic></pic><br />
<br />
This thing is either manufactured, exported, or supplied (or all three) by Mannix Co. Ltd, supposedly based out of NYC... but it's really a Hong Kong company. The NYC address on the package is <i>200 5th ave nyc 10010 </i>but no such company exists here, or at least, none that I can tell. According to God Internet, the other companies at this location are Eataly, G2, GCI Health, L a Cafe, Laramie Corporation, Mantoa Industries, Ozen Sound Devices Inc, Stelber Cycle Corporation, Thinkway Toys, Watson Productions and Wing Latino Group. So, yeah, no other hits online for Mannix Co. Ltd.<br />
<br />
I specifically went into Dollar Tree today to grab a random item because I am trying to do one review per week and realized I hadn't done one this week. The odd thing about this product is that the packaging doesn't seem to belong in the Dollar Store... it's not consistent with their products. Even the products Greenbrier doesn't make still all have a sense of sameness in their packaging. This product, on the other hand, doesn't. The packaging looks very old, not only outdated, but aged. It looks like it was surplus from another, even less-fancy, dollar store somewhere in Bumsville, GA or something. In fact, the packaging is so crappy, the Dollar Tree is too good for it. I found it laying on a random shelf in a random aisle, and it was the only one in the whole store.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4dFkn5eW3Zn0AipzvUhRQRXNKLIKJvACcKLJTOLXhPNkBrvrbOpGJjy90EahbALs4PkJw_T8HXx2EANSK2pVI3E34zVEI7x4wTp4P-wupM5bGpMhuXlmw2Enne3E8hWl6c3d7TM-SekA/s1600/2012-11-30_16-32-54_698.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4dFkn5eW3Zn0AipzvUhRQRXNKLIKJvACcKLJTOLXhPNkBrvrbOpGJjy90EahbALs4PkJw_T8HXx2EANSK2pVI3E34zVEI7x4wTp4P-wupM5bGpMhuXlmw2Enne3E8hWl6c3d7TM-SekA/s400/2012-11-30_16-32-54_698.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
The "canvas" does actually feel velvety to the touch when you open it. I must admit that I was rather surprised at that for some reason. But the design is a masterpiece unto itself! Nothing says "Made in China" like a 'Murican flag.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV0TWxnAlABej7OOa-LOretxIAX00AFIiu52q7ALRC75N0esF8FfAI4feIGngimSjYCTia4NxLyubF0dgMU2q4CbQnrNX6xEhQUccb7UyD9DFMSrIbXq4hkEq2JXE6_bE-7CEyZ06Xj0E/s1600/2012-11-30_16-37-38_805.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV0TWxnAlABej7OOa-LOretxIAX00AFIiu52q7ALRC75N0esF8FfAI4feIGngimSjYCTia4NxLyubF0dgMU2q4CbQnrNX6xEhQUccb7UyD9DFMSrIbXq4hkEq2JXE6_bE-7CEyZ06Xj0E/s400/2012-11-30_16-37-38_805.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
So, I, excitedly and patriotically, set out to start my 'Murican flag velvet masterpiece. But, when I opened my awesome set of primary (to the computer, since it had green instead of yellow) colors I noticed that they're not exactly in liquid form.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWVGx_z2Vydn1ylYYEj63Vht2gCobbnHGKMQAHsdJ_ztisVj6tqfzZy-IZRN_-T967lLZjpzJxP2a_TQ22ghsfXpjHQgJFP4gMUQQGbKLFx7LYh8YYH1pF_WwM1wbAT99tXMkZuvV1L6I/s1600/2012-11-30_16-38-32_244.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWVGx_z2Vydn1ylYYEj63Vht2gCobbnHGKMQAHsdJ_ztisVj6tqfzZy-IZRN_-T967lLZjpzJxP2a_TQ22ghsfXpjHQgJFP4gMUQQGbKLFx7LYh8YYH1pF_WwM1wbAT99tXMkZuvV1L6I/s400/2012-11-30_16-38-32_244.jpg" width="225" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Upon closer inspection I realized that the "acrylic colors" that came with my set have completely solidified into their contains. I try to dip my brush but the only thing that comes out is a large chunk of green solidified paint.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpzIsiQ47WCHgGwKZNAvjah7ZLCYqQiLXX2MwWLal65FCj16CqnoeiFIyTLtTHHxVyktFJwVcLZwKlCEFFah00lhefC6BFnn3SsoUw-ibalAdH_OnRs5k07f8vGi0aakwrclfWw3mKzIE/s1600/2012-11-30_16-39-31_411.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpzIsiQ47WCHgGwKZNAvjah7ZLCYqQiLXX2MwWLal65FCj16CqnoeiFIyTLtTHHxVyktFJwVcLZwKlCEFFah00lhefC6BFnn3SsoUw-ibalAdH_OnRs5k07f8vGi0aakwrclfWw3mKzIE/s400/2012-11-30_16-39-31_411.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Which leads me to my next gripe, why the fuck would you include the color green to paint a velvet 'Murican flag??!?! Hey, Hong Kong, you don't even have green in your flag!<br />
<br />
All in all, utter failure on this item since it can't be used as advertised. But, did I give up? NO! Because I've seen Galaxy Quest a million times and if I've learned one thing from Cmdr. Peter Quincy Taggart is to <i>Never Give Up, Never Surrender</i>. I grabbed my solidified globs of paint and my brush and made meself a crayon.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSsBSsr2Co9-BJNddX46EgFV38R5zEYbRYJ3kKlRYzdp0GklyCOgKvEtibWcDoaqCI9OdkpdPdnXsktiOEguFboXV87NLXwHCBEcwJ_kLNG9ImVAAqzmmrWyFzDpNAzGHjrIk4xnLKDcU/s1600/2012-11-30_16-50-07_342.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSsBSsr2Co9-BJNddX46EgFV38R5zEYbRYJ3kKlRYzdp0GklyCOgKvEtibWcDoaqCI9OdkpdPdnXsktiOEguFboXV87NLXwHCBEcwJ_kLNG9ImVAAqzmmrWyFzDpNAzGHjrIk4xnLKDcU/s400/2012-11-30_16-50-07_342.jpg" width="225" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
After a few seconds I finally had a masterpiece worthy of hanging in my office! And, best of all, since I couldn't use white, I ended up using the green color after all! Yay me<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaaI76j4JgMPPaYnjG3hDSFMOxRIGqY0sy6FtJdiRWm8TPLuDrinFCDBy0dLocguFovHXDBj47IiV1H1ItZn903FECeRrfPICKxPBTWFoPO7IxAqxN4WB4JjgqEEaWZ_PCtxVx8_-eKTA/s1600/2012-11-30_17-01-04_214.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaaI76j4JgMPPaYnjG3hDSFMOxRIGqY0sy6FtJdiRWm8TPLuDrinFCDBy0dLocguFovHXDBj47IiV1H1ItZn903FECeRrfPICKxPBTWFoPO7IxAqxN4WB4JjgqEEaWZ_PCtxVx8_-eKTA/s400/2012-11-30_17-01-04_214.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5YazYu3SKmqnbUgxJPriL1dkzY8TDwXi8ITAeuEeMu5lz_W-KBSbanZtCnm9KXgCESXcSEbpfC33tCyWhY9aGEzGNguaPqlFntJOFfnC6m3r6s0H12y4ke2-aIZ3nplRsvOlVHhPc64g/s1600/murica.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="71" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5YazYu3SKmqnbUgxJPriL1dkzY8TDwXi8ITAeuEeMu5lz_W-KBSbanZtCnm9KXgCESXcSEbpfC33tCyWhY9aGEzGNguaPqlFntJOFfnC6m3r6s0H12y4ke2-aIZ3nplRsvOlVHhPc64g/s400/murica.png" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Score: Fuck that! This piece of crap is so bad, it doesn't even get a score!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1046282022203762009.post-43112479376408341102012-11-21T15:41:00.001-05:002012-11-21T15:49:27.265-05:00NOVELTY CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS... MUST BE NOVEMBER!!If there is a holiday I've learned to seriously dislike, it is Christmas. Earlier in the week, and it is now November 21st, I heard freakin' Christmas music on the radio! It's NOVEMBER!!! Pineville, a small city next to Charlotte, already put up their Christmas decorations. It's NOVEMBER!!! I see posts from friends on Facebook about how they already purchased their Christmas trees. It's MOTHERGRUBBIN' NOVEMBER!!!<br /><br />
I seriously dislike this holiday, and I don't think I am alone.<br />
<br />
I wanted to grabbed something Thanksgiving related for this review but when I walked into the Dollar Tree there wasn't a single Thanksgiving-related item in the entire store! Not one... Of course not. How ridiculous of me to try to go to a store a week before Thanksgiving and expect to find Thanksgiving-related items.<br />
<br />
I did find row after row, endcap after endcap of Christmas crap! Red and green all over the place. Christmas toys, decorations, food, candy, silverware, dinnerware, novelty items, etc. Just Christmas... Ugh.<br />
<br />
Anyway, so, I am going to jump on the bandwagon and review Christmas products in November. And in December, I am going to review Easter-related items. Take that corporate America!!!<br />
<br />
The first trinket I found was Instant Snow in a Can (or Neige Décorative Instantanée en Conserve for our Canadian friends). How can anybody resist this? It's instant freakin' snow. Which we don't get enough of here in the Charlotte area. According to the can, all I have to do is add water and I can have something that looks and feels like real snow.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9iw-jx09cHo0I93BwKaBZpHaWnAN19_QOmT1A_XC5dAoQZO-qjiPfrXifux8gbM0aF7pE_lzKLlNlBzzGQvXLQc2KUOe017f9aA_wzxpTndN-8ZjT3ScOBOZTfl2o3r3CNtF_nAc9_iI/s1600/2012-11-21_09-12-01_159.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9iw-jx09cHo0I93BwKaBZpHaWnAN19_QOmT1A_XC5dAoQZO-qjiPfrXifux8gbM0aF7pE_lzKLlNlBzzGQvXLQc2KUOe017f9aA_wzxpTndN-8ZjT3ScOBOZTfl2o3r3CNtF_nAc9_iI/s640/2012-11-21_09-12-01_159.jpg" width="360" /></a></div>
<br />
The instructions were simple, open your can, add water and you'll have a mess in your hands.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgROjvAMgWv83nw5qTmxBOVW2lL25TRRN3NY2FZntuYgz9SOksmKMMaSnvAInjYSKm6eRroDzeH3xIwzKoV4WOy2EDSpOIJIf06eut75QJVXZ1ta1-WZO3aE8JPh8Ntbi9y2avLS5_Zius/s1600/2012-11-21_09-17-27_350.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgROjvAMgWv83nw5qTmxBOVW2lL25TRRN3NY2FZntuYgz9SOksmKMMaSnvAInjYSKm6eRroDzeH3xIwzKoV4WOy2EDSpOIJIf06eut75QJVXZ1ta1-WZO3aE8JPh8Ntbi9y2avLS5_Zius/s400/2012-11-21_09-17-27_350.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
I quickly opened my canned snow and realized that I am actually kind of excited about this. I noticed that the can opened on both ends. The top lid comes off completely, like you would a can of soup, while the bottom opened with a tab the way a canned soda does.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPYLz7j4ybl90QE4RmARNlmdBrTJjMv6CLyaNKtD7uMPPtvpWrXVUU5lMTu0nCok4phNgHtMtDakM7eA0YIFbj4xxyFcgqgX88CCx7UHiqyYF1bP4Ky0IMo2q2PbUdGteyFYsyPXenJ9M/s1600/2012-11-21_09-23-39_846.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPYLz7j4ybl90QE4RmARNlmdBrTJjMv6CLyaNKtD7uMPPtvpWrXVUU5lMTu0nCok4phNgHtMtDakM7eA0YIFbj4xxyFcgqgX88CCx7UHiqyYF1bP4Ky0IMo2q2PbUdGteyFYsyPXenJ9M/s640/2012-11-21_09-23-39_846.jpg" width="360" /></a></div>
<br />
The instructions didn't say anything about the openings so I opened both ends. This decision was supported by the stupid graphic depiction of the snow coming out of both ends of the can in the instructions.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEictl8AzmDbWeXKl9npQhsH8uPdPOoBE-EuYbKV7ABJdNvFQ1RnPC8eaLChWB5oYfPRFmqoEFyaifbNb3EgKK1q2Jte-x7NRfSxCimRhbt8X5vaVmkuMUtJBNA_35xq0mv4C1mCNs5eMhM/s1600/2012-11-21_09-22-22_566.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEictl8AzmDbWeXKl9npQhsH8uPdPOoBE-EuYbKV7ABJdNvFQ1RnPC8eaLChWB5oYfPRFmqoEFyaifbNb3EgKK1q2Jte-x7NRfSxCimRhbt8X5vaVmkuMUtJBNA_35xq0mv4C1mCNs5eMhM/s640/2012-11-21_09-22-22_566.jpg" width="360" /></a></div>
<br />
Once gutted, the can contained a small plastic shove, a baggie of cocaine and instructions. Well, the instructions were almost exactly the same as the once outside of the can, but the warnings took up about 75% of the rest of the instruction sheets.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFtk0tQ-yq4Hcqa_LMyd_8SgFmOmV8ZH2XD0lt5nmP5hGWIGoOqKLb8SkdV3I1jPT3qHj-Zsu9D2jBP8xt20yzsKw3HFU5FlE_H08bHIeu30qB9geh3xwUK_luHj1tfZF3cuqnoA5JPdw/s1600/2012-11-21_09-23-27_804.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFtk0tQ-yq4Hcqa_LMyd_8SgFmOmV8ZH2XD0lt5nmP5hGWIGoOqKLb8SkdV3I1jPT3qHj-Zsu9D2jBP8xt20yzsKw3HFU5FlE_H08bHIeu30qB9geh3xwUK_luHj1tfZF3cuqnoA5JPdw/s400/2012-11-21_09-23-27_804.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
Following the instructions we started shoveling the white powder in the can. Unfortunately, this was an idiotic way to do this as the bag was too small for the shovel and ended up shoveling about 1/4 of an ounce at a time.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBmncheVXZDxu9S0cScO8mBn5AhxP1uDqqaqCCLUJyxwbVENkTGDc6fhGXFAphYA3FNul2GqC4mm4qu2zfis7kOUTIZk0HDaOhD4POw39EVswdbkezWv1pf8X_rfMlV90NEGnyVYkBCmE/s1600/2012-11-21_09-26-01_161.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBmncheVXZDxu9S0cScO8mBn5AhxP1uDqqaqCCLUJyxwbVENkTGDc6fhGXFAphYA3FNul2GqC4mm4qu2zfis7kOUTIZk0HDaOhD4POw39EVswdbkezWv1pf8X_rfMlV90NEGnyVYkBCmE/s640/2012-11-21_09-26-01_161.jpg" width="360" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Eventually, Girl #2, who was one of my helpers and testers, just decided to pour the whole baggy in the can just to get it over with.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpPqW4oQgkgxW8tFPBTNko71wFPWBUlWPK7sGOP0cxML2cxEAc7UQxuiX_kfW_x6agmpZivMWwg6EPDcshjAkY-B-v-mMcGI3tGsNPxJeqsMkpNg4H_XvCKB7GFURs4OaQ-YDnan7Ra7U/s1600/2012-11-21_09-26-21_700.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpPqW4oQgkgxW8tFPBTNko71wFPWBUlWPK7sGOP0cxML2cxEAc7UQxuiX_kfW_x6agmpZivMWwg6EPDcshjAkY-B-v-mMcGI3tGsNPxJeqsMkpNg4H_XvCKB7GFURs4OaQ-YDnan7Ra7U/s640/2012-11-21_09-26-21_700.jpg" width="360" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Once we poured the water the "snow" did appear immediately. The second the water touched this stuff, which is also what they put inside diapers, it became a gelatinous, snowy blob.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<object class="BLOGGER-picasa-video" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" data-thumbnail-src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRC84sWPrwDNjx5otzFenJWwEekCfa5ea8MZfYf_Q1xSIRUaqmkuP5PAzKYNFHgrV8BHvMlDINrQxza0f50dH5SDie0Xzj2TyynL0qspxDAiTaDXstj_78fItY-iM_FUvhhL-Lh36i-nU/s1600/2012-11-21_09-26-30_264.mp4" height="266" width="320"><param name="movie" value="http://video.google.com/googleplayer.swf?videoUrl=http://redirector.googlevideo.com/videoplayback?id%3Da6ef24c6427f4910%26itag%3D5%26source%3Dpicasa%26cmo%3Dsensitive_content%253Dyes%26ip%3D0.0.0.0%26ipbits%3D0%26expire%3D1356108177%26sparams%3Did,itag,source,ip,ipbits,expire%26signature%3D408066079FFA3321A3782C74C98CBCB87DECD754.91A3E16AABD31A751020503E5911E33F1147ED5C%26key%3Dlh1" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><embed width="320" height="266" src="http://video.google.com/googleplayer.swf?videoUrl=http://redirector.googlevideo.com/videoplayback?id%3Da6ef24c6427f4910%26itag%3D5%26source%3Dpicasa%26cmo%3Dsensitive_content%253Dyes%26ip%3D0.0.0.0%26ipbits%3D0%26expire%3D1356108177%26sparams%3Did,itag,source,ip,ipbits,expire%26signature%3D408066079FFA3321A3782C74C98CBCB87DECD754.91A3E16AABD31A751020503E5911E33F1147ED5C%26key%3Dlh1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
The girls were excited and and immediately dunked their hands into it. They said it was awesome and ran it through their fingers and hands. But, unfortunately, after only a few seconds, Girl #2 asked what they were supposed to do with it. I told her she could do anything she wanted. After one more minute they just ended up dumping the whole thing in the trash.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ8pkAkmiFxyaVZPmwUo_14ofNb429WLfmBwHjaIGlizWz42pjbynqGOja0CNtTYXQQniYfj3EsFaAE0zm4eU2ocnKJ7P0AhTkgVmW1pZGXWsz0huMql_apkEYRSHUTqm40VuEPwPpX_Y/s1600/2012-11-21_09-27-24_891.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ8pkAkmiFxyaVZPmwUo_14ofNb429WLfmBwHjaIGlizWz42pjbynqGOja0CNtTYXQQniYfj3EsFaAE0zm4eU2ocnKJ7P0AhTkgVmW1pZGXWsz0huMql_apkEYRSHUTqm40VuEPwPpX_Y/s400/2012-11-21_09-27-24_891.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Girl #2 tried, and failed, at making a snowball. The amorphous, rubbery blob has absolutely no binding power to itself. So, no matter how hard you press, you're not getting a snowball to save your life. Also, when you touched a mount of it, it jiggled oddly and rather nastily, the way Jell-O or tapioca pudding does. ewww....</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuz_lblZDdoJmfhcs-w3Dk6rpHM1mKkhigtLv-_ABm4yp1uCySch1w2X42NreIfPiKwEuxUUogxoJKDPh8qnmr7n-trevlFfOzEho3LyizikhwsqBxdix9qf-7qFleTh8cbuf4J9QaAUs/s1600/2012-11-21_09-27-52_307.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuz_lblZDdoJmfhcs-w3Dk6rpHM1mKkhigtLv-_ABm4yp1uCySch1w2X42NreIfPiKwEuxUUogxoJKDPh8qnmr7n-trevlFfOzEho3LyizikhwsqBxdix9qf-7qFleTh8cbuf4J9QaAUs/s640/2012-11-21_09-27-52_307.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
As a devout fan of Mr. Wizard's World back in the day (the 90's, not the 50's), this was a really cool experiment for me and the girls. But the fun factor is very, very, very short lived and once you have your snow, there's really not much else to do with it. Possibly if you're using this to decorate your house for Christmas some time in November, this will do a really good job.</div>
<br />
<br />
Score: <img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v311/Almacen/DT1.jpg" width="65" /><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v311/Almacen/DT2.jpg" width="65" /><br />
<br />
<br />
<iframe bordercolor="#000000" frameborder="0" height="200" hspace="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://ad.doubleclick.net/adi/N7433.148119.BLOGGEREN/B6675832.1236;sz=200x200;ord=[timestamp]?;lid=41000613802463762;pid=EDRE36808;usg=AFHzDLsAjrS_hFvhgsqtvN8n6CMj6XbRpw;adurl=http%253A%252F%252Fwww.funtoymall.com%252Fedre36808.html%253Fmr%253AtrackingCode%253D8ABDA05A-5387-E111-B508-001B21BCC0BC%2526mr%253AreferralID%253DNA;pubid=599844;imgsrc=http%3A%2F%2Fsite.unbeatablesale.com%2Fimg183%2Fedre36808.gif;width=165;height=200" vspace="0" width="200"></iframe><br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1046282022203762009.post-63140883635425298182012-11-13T13:58:00.002-05:002012-11-13T13:58:50.165-05:00CHEESE AND BREAD....Hey kids! Since I just made up that today would be 2-for-1 day, this review has two products!<br />
<br />
So, while I was writing the last post I got hungry and remembered that during my last trip to The Dollar Tree I bit the bullet and bought some american "cheese" slices and bread to review. First, the "cheese"...<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD9pyDLSbWgXNRhoR5ZrcHluigE4vfA0vzSXxJRLGCrpssVZCRLsgbX8wzr9LmEDhNK6HX572H0u4qffF9ZuTkQdUMg3E4QxucOlaZMOqq2VK7Gu3e4c02uLGIBHMq0kyJxoTKguezXsQ/s1600/2012-11-13_12-53-52_127.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD9pyDLSbWgXNRhoR5ZrcHluigE4vfA0vzSXxJRLGCrpssVZCRLsgbX8wzr9LmEDhNK6HX572H0u4qffF9ZuTkQdUMg3E4QxucOlaZMOqq2VK7Gu3e4c02uLGIBHMq0kyJxoTKguezXsQ/s400/2012-11-13_12-53-52_127.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
The product itself is called Sunny Acres American Slices and the product description is "Pasteurized Processed Sandwich Slices", so, on the plus side, they're not lying to you, IT AIN'T CHEESE! They're just "slices". The package is open because Boy #2 got to it before I did and his verdict was that it was "disgusting as shit". I can only imagine the nightmarish monstrosity appearance this shit must have when it's being pumped out of the processing machine. I looked up Sunny Acres online and there is no such thing. Then, I noticed that the back of the package had the name and a URL address for the distributor, <a href="http://smartpricesales.com/" target="_blank">SmartPrice Sales & Marketing, Inc</a>. Certainly doesn't sound like a cheese factory.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3oYR1VOqZRd5FfkoTlgCi6yPJTlASnQHMWd3YwS9ciQ4a1Npx_BzMsDPY06LCCC1GTq4RjOPHBX091x8GAsUzEQj7IFHa6fuvqNk5w7VaDE4ULrYfPiYuKNhlVYaVsbzghp0QdVZjluo/s1600/2012-11-13_12-55-21_679.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3oYR1VOqZRd5FfkoTlgCi6yPJTlASnQHMWd3YwS9ciQ4a1Npx_BzMsDPY06LCCC1GTq4RjOPHBX091x8GAsUzEQj7IFHa6fuvqNk5w7VaDE4ULrYfPiYuKNhlVYaVsbzghp0QdVZjluo/s400/2012-11-13_12-55-21_679.jpg" width="225" /></a></div>
<br />
These people create a bunch of products with different lines that are sold at "Extreme Value Retailers" (I didn't even know we got all P.C. about dollar stores) around the country. From their site, "<span style="background-color: #f7fcfa; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15px;">In 2010, ranked #311on INC.500 Fastest Growing</span><span style="background-color: #f7fcfa; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15px;"> </span><span style="background-color: #f7fcfa; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15px;">Private Companies in America, and composed of a</span><span style="background-color: #f7fcfa; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15px;"> </span><span style="background-color: #f7fcfa; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15px;">growing number of brands, including Sunny Acres,</span><span style="background-color: #f7fcfa; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15px;"> </span><span style="background-color: #f7fcfa; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15px;">Northsire County, SmartPrice Sales & Marketing will</span><span style="background-color: #f7fcfa; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15px;"> </span><span style="background-color: #f7fcfa; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15px;">have you say </span><b style="background-color: #f7fcfa; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px;"><i><span style="color: #006600;"><span style="line-height: 15px;">"Wow, what a fantastic value!" </span></span></i></b>HAHAHAHAHA!!!<br />
<br />
Oddly enough, all their ingredients in the back are in Spanish and the side panel, which is much smaller, is where the English version is. Dude, check out the laundry list of chemical ingredients in this thing!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0pbZNK0SP3UNwsKpiWi0vX7QiZoBvK5ojXIvxe9uJSSV6J59vJfJzrDYg_KQzcxue0kjWnIBtcp4wLDH1CLX2WKnoJLzwxPV3ZAlKRkSZvbcZu2WYzuKrjxNUTvBSIPKXMtNmgR_1LYI/s1600/2012-11-13_12-54-29_331.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0pbZNK0SP3UNwsKpiWi0vX7QiZoBvK5ojXIvxe9uJSSV6J59vJfJzrDYg_KQzcxue0kjWnIBtcp4wLDH1CLX2WKnoJLzwxPV3ZAlKRkSZvbcZu2WYzuKrjxNUTvBSIPKXMtNmgR_1LYI/s400/2012-11-13_12-54-29_331.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
I speak Spanish and I don't know what half of that shit is. Anyway, I plopped one slice out on a paper plate and it looks like it's made from plastic. Shiny and unnatural are the only two worlds I could come up with to describe this. I was going to take a bite of it just to taste but I shuddered at the thought.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz4AFLRHPIB62TLzR-WnFvzSQWaQs_tjyKzRzHsPhHz8wxh_kBFwy5SqiDYoPEKZom7gJcq_x5vBDQnCLCtup3qhiLXlD9YZwXqyhx1ne6Swe0-ojADbbomFe2sQAkvkq8LUWjZYCfGcM/s1600/2012-11-13_12-56-56_927.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz4AFLRHPIB62TLzR-WnFvzSQWaQs_tjyKzRzHsPhHz8wxh_kBFwy5SqiDYoPEKZom7gJcq_x5vBDQnCLCtup3qhiLXlD9YZwXqyhx1ne6Swe0-ojADbbomFe2sQAkvkq8LUWjZYCfGcM/s400/2012-11-13_12-56-56_927.jpg" width="225" /></a></div>
<br />
Ok, so, let's set the cheese aside and move on to the bread now. The name is just Family Style White Enriched Bread. And it's distributed by European Bakers out of Thomasville, GA. Ah, but as per usual, there is no European Bakers in Thomasville, GA.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho80jqjA9jOfyZrfCzftsPt_MgWh0E9T065dG0vnCfWWD77IDFqp5EZRSo8y66Y-NnNqMvyl3VrXCZHHluAO8ix-yXvSp5iXMIpBUfzS0gmo26Q3K7yKV-I8b5FNCchFZH8z55KlSAscM/s1600/2012-11-13_12-57-31_341.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho80jqjA9jOfyZrfCzftsPt_MgWh0E9T065dG0vnCfWWD77IDFqp5EZRSo8y66Y-NnNqMvyl3VrXCZHHluAO8ix-yXvSp5iXMIpBUfzS0gmo26Q3K7yKV-I8b5FNCchFZH8z55KlSAscM/s400/2012-11-13_12-57-31_341.jpg" width="225" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
European Bakers is just a brand name for Flowers Foods which is Flowers Specialty Brands, LLC. Which apparently has been in the baking scene for over 80 years. Don't be fooled, they ain't no small ma and pa shop in GA. They also make some of the, in my opinion, better brands out there like Nature's Own, Cobblestone Mill and Tastykakes! Ah... Tastykakes, that takes me back to my college den where I frolicked from opium den to opium den eating tastykakes. Memories...</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Sorry, back now, not much to this product. This also has a laundry list of ingredients I just did not want to invest the time into reading. Reaching into the bag, the bread was nice and soft and airy and fluffy. I was actually expecting it to be stale and nasty but it really wasn't.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0f8I0afHhLnHkxyR3jA_7dYdaoiDPNH-7K-wrhCTuGi_Nd1-6h9nIfXsWOaoDeppKCJwWCoGuxNu_S9IT1KCusTd5QWFSn8m57xtp7523f-TD5ekUbC5jGLy_LLGQXIbH7gC6exGKL40/s1600/2012-11-13_12-58-48_214.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0f8I0afHhLnHkxyR3jA_7dYdaoiDPNH-7K-wrhCTuGi_Nd1-6h9nIfXsWOaoDeppKCJwWCoGuxNu_S9IT1KCusTd5QWFSn8m57xtp7523f-TD5ekUbC5jGLy_LLGQXIbH7gC6exGKL40/s400/2012-11-13_12-58-48_214.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I finished making my sammich and took the first bite. The bread was good, I mean, if I didn't already know that it was from the dollar store, I would have never guessed it. It was fresh... then my palate touched the cheese... Holy hell, that was disgusting. It felt like chewing on a piece of rubber and it tasted off. I can't really describe it but it was dry and slightly bitter. It tasted totally artificial... like taking a bite out of Nicki Minaj where she made of pasteurized processed sandwich slices.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheCtkwjdGmdY4DfMlnvlNUIwr83F9U3DSZFW_hxygVb1JTqDpZTGD7m8NZVJ2IxWpPQToULHttZVFp1M0mUAbHdUT0p79P5FsdUj-qbcoy00CflFLxUP65EuzoqPI4tPdY0aQZjnJdiV8/s1600/2012-11-13_13-00-13_295.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheCtkwjdGmdY4DfMlnvlNUIwr83F9U3DSZFW_hxygVb1JTqDpZTGD7m8NZVJ2IxWpPQToULHttZVFp1M0mUAbHdUT0p79P5FsdUj-qbcoy00CflFLxUP65EuzoqPI4tPdY0aQZjnJdiV8/s400/2012-11-13_13-00-13_295.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I actually did finish it but the last couple of bites were kinda rough. Someone, the cheese got to my brain and all I could taste was the damned cheese... oh god... the cheese... I think it got in my hair... Oh no, it's in me!!!
Scores:</div>
<br />
Cheese: <img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v311/Almacen/DT1.jpg" width="65" /><br />
<br />
Bread: Score: <img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v311/Almacen/DT1.jpg" width="65" /><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v311/Almacen/DT2.jpg" width="65" /><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v311/Almacen/DT3.jpg" width="65" />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1046282022203762009.post-12938207969491798142012-11-13T13:17:00.001-05:002012-11-13T13:17:30.699-05:00POWER X CRYSTAL GEL DISHWASHING DETERGENTHello there! I'm back!<br />
<br />
I recently lost my job which means I have a helluva lot more time to squander on the internet and blog. Since we lost one source of income, it also probably will mean a lot more trips to The Dollar Tree to cut corners. Such was the when it came time to buy more dishwashing detergent. Unlike before, The Dollar Tree now seems to carry several brands of most of their products. I actually had a few options when I went to pick up this lemony jewel which was a nice surprise.<br />
<br />
There are 8 people in our household, myself, the little lady, and 6 "chirrens" so you can imagine the mountains of dirty dishes that pile up daily. Add to that the fact that nobody around here enjoys washing dishes and you end up with an overused dishwasher and morbid amounts of dishwasher detergent.<br />
<br />
I opted for Power X Crystal Gel because the packaging was very similar to the name brand stuff and it looked the least cheap of the bunch. As with 99% of the products The Dollar Tree offers, this too was "new & improved" with a Fresh Lemon Scent... if your idea of lemon scent is a combination of semen and PineSol. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD3VbEpBTkXBS9863lRAz8PLbHuScjl-I6OOLu_EV6yMM_c5tjo27QB1WIeomC4Y0ksz2gtYx0l85Bzmi_mSBVU1sYkZ2kG4Gt6MSPxfRlJnU5eV9KuYmrHfyTsx6Z-3jkoG4TBKrAJ_M/s1600/2012-11-12_17-01-23_750.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="PowerX" border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD3VbEpBTkXBS9863lRAz8PLbHuScjl-I6OOLu_EV6yMM_c5tjo27QB1WIeomC4Y0ksz2gtYx0l85Bzmi_mSBVU1sYkZ2kG4Gt6MSPxfRlJnU5eV9KuYmrHfyTsx6Z-3jkoG4TBKrAJ_M/s400/2012-11-12_17-01-23_750.jpg" title="PowerX" width="225" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Another interesting fact is that, unlike most of the crap I buy here, this is a true 'Murican product made right here in Missouri (which is one of the handful of states I couldn't find on a U.S. map if my life depended on it) by a company called <a href="http://customsolutionsinc.com/" target="_blank">CSI Products, Inc</a>. I would tell you more about this company, but I even being bored and unemployed couldn't get me to sift through a website for a company that makes cleaning products.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9MvCSQISLWZ1GhycSRYZJDngK_740zBlBnhGwBjHZJ9IXasoSa6JeEmLtJuTYVNO-cmAg-60rSzKXqR0-cOiku8K8aPw3bJgB7UGMQDtkKGdLm90-QOxVubxSKeD4-_SICkEtZr6VOJE/s1600/2012-11-12_17-01-35_527.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9MvCSQISLWZ1GhycSRYZJDngK_740zBlBnhGwBjHZJ9IXasoSa6JeEmLtJuTYVNO-cmAg-60rSzKXqR0-cOiku8K8aPw3bJgB7UGMQDtkKGdLm90-QOxVubxSKeD4-_SICkEtZr6VOJE/s400/2012-11-12_17-01-35_527.jpg" width="225" /></a></div>
<br />
Lastly, on packaging, even though the label comes equipped with a fancy QR code, it takes you to a broken <a href="http://customsolutionsinc.com/powerx" target="_blank">link</a>.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX4EEtBrQ3y7U4bAA8mS9araiYVRE-tOwAGZY2vSXP8NwIl38R_VTHmOsBH7xYgd1I5Xd2tZn7G0qJ5DZwpZ875Kb6i6fFyYjeNEZfCdkrl_3uYcrBe-1JHr3lAHHWpOsVGBdTxIr7TB0/s1600/2012-11-12_17-01-57_972.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX4EEtBrQ3y7U4bAA8mS9araiYVRE-tOwAGZY2vSXP8NwIl38R_VTHmOsBH7xYgd1I5Xd2tZn7G0qJ5DZwpZ875Kb6i6fFyYjeNEZfCdkrl_3uYcrBe-1JHr3lAHHWpOsVGBdTxIr7TB0/s400/2012-11-12_17-01-57_972.jpg" width="225" /></a></div>
<br />
I put my PowerX to the test with a small load since I had one of the kids load and they just plain ol' suck at it. This is actually only about 20% of what we usually cram into the poor dishwasher.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEx0aqGCwtBNl-1WagiJT8RfAuuTVGP4HbYwu53Upeb-rh72YyD40rBygGPAyl5Me85dSWu2s4LEmaIbj1NgEWjb2pjuX3tJjRr6-copBiP_4HR6vnNA1ercsJ2pPgmwFeGSqMRyRgkag/s1600/2012-11-12_17-04-20_914.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEx0aqGCwtBNl-1WagiJT8RfAuuTVGP4HbYwu53Upeb-rh72YyD40rBygGPAyl5Me85dSWu2s4LEmaIbj1NgEWjb2pjuX3tJjRr6-copBiP_4HR6vnNA1ercsJ2pPgmwFeGSqMRyRgkag/s400/2012-11-12_17-04-20_914.jpg" width="225" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Power X pours a Lemon-Lime-Gatorade-Yellow but with the consistency of mucus-from-a-toddler-with-a-runny-nose. Directions are plain and simple, "fill all holes with our goo" sorta deal and press the start button.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
A little while later the dishes came out spotless and awesome (forgot to take a picture). But, awesomely enough, Power X did he job perfectly and for 30oz for a bottle, it's a great deal. I think this is gonna be a keeper instead of buying the name-brand stuff from now on!</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<br />
Score: <img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v311/Almacen/DT1.jpg" width="65" /><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v311/Almacen/DT2.jpg" width="65" /><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v311/Almacen/DT3.jpg" width="65" /><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v311/Almacen/DT4.jpg" width="65" /><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v311/Almacen/DT5.jpg" width="65" />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1046282022203762009.post-67485008887378136482011-09-26T16:41:00.000-04:002011-09-26T16:41:39.150-04:00SEALIFE CREATURESThe opening sentence for this entry has been written and re-written more times than in any other entry. One reason being the sheer pointlessness of the product I'm reviewing today, but even more so, for the two reasons I purchased this item.<br />
<br />
Reason one: I've always heard that the best path to achieve the so-called American Dream is by starting your own business. I got that part down and did so with a couple of friends last year. Unfortunately, the business I chose is film making; not exactly a cash cow when you're shooting independent, no budget, self financed, arthouse film. <a href="http://www.tiburonrojofilms.com/">Tiburon Rojo Films</a>, which is the name of our company, means <i>Red Shark</i> in Spanish and it has been growing faster than I could have imagined. In my opinion the recognition has to do with some of the creative marketing/promotions tools we've used to plug the company around town.<br />
<br />
Reason two: A friend of mine, and the latest member to join the Tiburon Rojo Films team, recently introduced me to <a href="http://www.geocaching.com/">GeoCaching</a>. If you don't know what GeoCaching is I suggest that you give it a good read and maybe try it. It's really fun and gets you out and about to some areas of your town you would have otherwise not visited. Geocaching can be done alone, with your partner, a group of friends or your kids (If you have them).<br />
<br />
So, what the hell did I buy and what the hell does the above reasons have to do with it? Well, I purchased three bags of little hard plastic toys called Sealife Creatures. I would give you more information on the product but that's pretty much all the generic label said.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<center><a href="http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v311/Almacen/Dollar%20Tree/Sealife%20Cretures/?action=view&current=IMAG0251.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="300" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v311/Almacen/Dollar%20Tree/Sealife%20Cretures/IMAG0251.jpg" width="400" /></a></center><br />
<br />
WTF?<br />
WTF? indeed...<br />
<br />
Let me explain. In GeoCaching you find containers that... well, contain anything from a tiny log of visitors to a variety of objects known as SWAG. Cachers can either leave or trade SWAG when they find caches. By now you should be getting a broad idea of why I purchased such pointless product to begin with. I wanted to start leaving SWAG in all the caches I found while at the same time shamelessly plugging in Tiburon Rojo Films.<br />
<br />
I went to the Dollar Tree by my job during lunch looking for toy sharks that I would then paint red (since finding red sharks is pretty unheard of). But my beloved Dollar Tree and it's Chinese cohorts surpassed every expectation I'd set for this expedition. Not only did they have little plastic toy sharks but they had RED little plastic toy sharks! How effin' convenient for me!<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<center><a href="http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v311/Almacen/Dollar%20Tree/Sealife%20Cretures/?action=view&current=IMAG0252.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="300" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v311/Almacen/Dollar%20Tree/Sealife%20Cretures/IMAG0252.jpg" width="400" /></a></center><br />
<br />
I purchased three bags and each with 3 sharks and 3 alligators (that were significantly larger than all the sharks) in a variety of colors. When I finally separated the animals, as much for promotional purposes as to avoid another <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1705773/">Jaleel White monstrosity</a>, I ended up with 6 red sharks, 2 blue sharks and a lonely purple shark.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<center><a href="http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v311/Almacen/Dollar%20Tree/Sealife%20Cretures/?action=view&current=IMAG0254.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Sharks" border="0" height="300" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v311/Almacen/Dollar%20Tree/Sealife%20Cretures/IMAG0254.jpg" width="400" /></a></center><br />
<br />
Some of my sharks and alligators had some minor shoddy craftsmanship which I had to fix. Not a big deal if you're a poor kid and only got this bag of lead-laced crap for a gift, but pretty noticeable if you're a DIY company using it for promotional purposes.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<center><a href="http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v311/Almacen/Dollar%20Tree/Sealife%20Cretures/?action=view&current=IMAG0255.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="320" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v311/Almacen/Dollar%20Tree/Sealife%20Cretures/IMAG0255.jpg" width="240" /></a> </center> <br />
<br />
Oddly enough, Orangelo, the orange alligator seemed to have grown a 5th leg due to radiation exposure... or maybe he was just happy to see me.<br />
<br />
<br />
<center><a href="http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v311/Almacen/Dollar%20Tree/Sealife%20Cretures/?action=view&current=IMAG0258.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="240" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v311/Almacen/Dollar%20Tree/Sealife%20Cretures/IMAG0258.jpg" width="320" /></a></center><br />
<br />
All I want to do with my red sharks is to drop them in some caches with a small QR code that will take other cachers to my company's website; and for that, they are excellent. The detail on the little sharks is pretty good given where they came from and that they truly fail miserably as an actual toy of any sort.<br />
<br />
<br />
<center><a href="http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v311/Almacen/Dollar%20Tree/Sealife%20Cretures/?action=view&current=IMAG0256.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="400" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v311/Almacen/Dollar%20Tree/Sealife%20Cretures/IMAG0256.jpg" width="300" /></a></center><br />
<br />
I cannot imagine why anybody would buy this for anything other than why I bought them. Again, as a toy they fail miserably. But if you are a small business owner who can use small, plastic, colorful, left-over alligators to promote your company, give me a holler, I have plenty. If you are a small child whose parents can't or won't buy you anything other than this pathetic excuse for a toy... my condolences.<br />
<br />
Score: <img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v311/Almacen/DT1.jpg" width="65" />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1046282022203762009.post-80025626740252063262010-02-02T14:34:00.005-05:002010-02-02T14:49:59.157-05:00MMH! NEW PLAYER IN TOWN<center><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v311/Almacen/Dollar%20Tree/expanding%20foam%20toy/0112101523a.jpg" width=300></center><br /><br />So, as I drove to one of the 4 (yes, 4) Dollar Trees that are within a 5 mile radius of my house I noticed <a href="http://www.mightydollar.org/">The Mighty Dollar</a>. It seems the girls have gone there several times with my ex-wife and speak wonders of the new store. I was skeptical to visit as at the time I did not know anything about this company. My initial thought was that the Mighty Dollar was a mom & pop dollar store operation which in my experience usually feel like a family dropped a bunch of useless trinkets to be sold. Today I learned they're a regional company with an aggressive campaign to take the crown from the Dollar Tree.<br /><br />They claim that they differentiate themselves by offering name brand products for only $1. They also claim they've sold merchandise with an original $100 price tag for $1. When I visited the store I saw nothing of the kind. It seemed like any other local dollar tree effort with a hell of a lot less variety than the Dollar Tree. The merchandise in most aisles is of the same quality as the Dollar Tree but quantities and variety are noticeably limited.<br /><br />I seriously doubt they will create even the slightest dent on the Dollar Tree's throne but I will keep a close eye on their merchandise for comparison.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1046282022203762009.post-80539771080019769282010-01-30T14:41:00.005-05:002010-02-02T14:32:20.135-05:00MAGIC GROW SAFARI ANIMALSToday, boys and girls, we are going to take a stroll down the completely useless and pointless lane. I've noticed that the Dollar Tree excels the pointless, useless and sometimes even "wtf?ish" type of toys arena. Today's entry, Magic Grow Safari Animals, qualifies for all three of these categories.<br /><br />I usually go to the Dollar Tree once or twice a week with the girls. Unlike my days as a child when Dollar Stores did not exist, the girls usually walk away with a toy or some trinket during every visit. Fabianna usually goes for traditional girly stuff or stationary (notebooks, pens, erases, etc) but Larissa on the other hand usually goes for weirder things. Suffice it to say one time she bought a sunny side up egg toy set complete with a plastic "iron skillet". This time around she became incredibly excited at the fact that she could grow animals from the comfort of her own kitchen!<br /><br />I've seen all sorts of grow-it-yourself shit that range from Spider-man towelettes to freakin' anonymous figurines no one has ever heard of. So growing sponge safari animals seemed innocent enough to purchase for her.<br /><br /><center><img src=" http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v311/Almacen/Dollar%20Tree/expanding%20foam%20toy/0105101854a.jpg" width=300></center><br /><br />First off, this product was made in China seemingly by Ja-Ru Incorporated and, as per usual, distributed by the good peeps at Greenbrier. As with most companies dealing with the Dollar Tree I was unable to find Ja-Ru online. The only available information is that they're based in Jacksonville, FL and that "In November 2007, the Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization (ADAO), an organization comprised of asbestos victims and their families, found a variety of consumer products and popular toys contaminated by asbestos. JA-RU’s Toy Clay was among those toys." Fortunately, Larissa is comprised of 65% asbestos and 35% clay so I sensed no threat to her if our sponges had the same problem as Ja-Ru's clay.<br /><br /><center><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v311/Almacen/Dollar%20Tree/expanding%20foam%20toy/0105101854b.jpg" width=300></center><br /><br />According to the box, this 18 piece set allows you to grow the following animals:<br /><br />Ostrich<br />Lion<br />Wildebeest<br />Cheetah<br />Rhino<br />Kudu (called an Antelope here)<br />Monkey<br />Hippo<br />Anteater<br />Elephant<br />Zebra (or horse if you've no imagination)<br />and Giraffe<br /><br /><center><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v311/Almacen/Dollar%20Tree/expanding%20foam%20toy/0105101854c.jpg" width=300></center><br /><br />Instructions were simple enough:<br /><br />"1. Drop capsule in warm or hot water<br />2. Watch as it begins to change shape!<br />3. In a few minutes it will become an animal shape!"<br /><br />Yet somehow, I still managed to fuck up the first batch by using cold water instead of warm or hot water; mostly due to the fact that I didn't read the instructions but only looked at the pictures which I understood to be:<br /><br /><center><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v311/Almacen/Dollar%20Tree/expanding%20foam%20toy/0105101855a.jpg" width=300></center><br /><br />1. Plankton lives naturally in water<br />2. Plankton owns a vibrator!<br />3. Giraffe is born!<br /><br />We dropped the capsule in (erroneously) cold water and waited next to the glass of water in the same way you stand next to a microwave while it nukes your frozen dinner at work. After five completely uneventful minutes we only ended up with green fuzz enclosed in a thick layer of mucus-like film.<br /><br /><center><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v311/Almacen/Dollar%20Tree/expanding%20foam%20toy/0105101935a.jpg" width=300></center><br /><br />Twenty minutes later and still no change, so we decided to remove the thick mucus-like film to help speed up the process.<br /><br /><center><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v311/Almacen/Dollar%20Tree/expanding%20foam%20toy/0106100816b.jpg" width=300></center><br /><br />After a few more hours we gave up and we forgot about the whole incident for a few days. Some time later I randomly picked up the box with the rest of the unused capsules and re-read the instructions. Duh! I called Larissa over and we tried again with hot water. And as advertised on the box the foam began to expand in a couple of minutes.<br /><br /><center><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v311/Almacen/Dollar%20Tree/expanding%20foam%20toy/0106101014a.jpg" width=300></center><br /><br />Unfortunately, after about 10 minutes the sponges still did not resemble the form of any multicellular organism I know of. Instead, 4 amorphous globs of fuzz lay in the now cooled off water. <br /><br /><center><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v311/Almacen/Dollar%20Tree/expanding%20foam%20toy/0106101559a.jpg" width=300></center><br /><br />We waited another thirty minutes and finally gave up. We pulled the fuzzy globs out of the water and below are the "animals" we came up with.<br /><br /><center><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v311/Almacen/Dollar%20Tree/expanding%20foam%20toy/spongeanimals.jpg" width=400></center><br /><br />After we laid out our animals Larissa's first question was, "so what do we do with them now? how do we play?" and well, I had no freakin' clue. I mean, how exactly do you entertain a 5 year old with a set of sponge animals from the Chernobyl zoo? So I told her she could wash the dishes with them... which she actually tried and found out the sponges weren't even good for that. She left a soapy mess in my kitchen and turned to her DS for solace. <br /><br />All in all this was probably one of the worst and most pointless ways to burn a good dollar.<br /><br />Score: <img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v311/Almacen/DT1.jpg" width=65>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1046282022203762009.post-39208783036763747122009-11-24T08:58:00.003-05:002009-11-24T09:02:36.011-05:00MISTER PLUMBER DRAIN OPENERI've always found it weird that most products sold in the Dollar Store (or any other value store) that are made by external companies (as opposed to some hellhole in China then imported by Greenbrier International, Inc.) have actually been around for several decades. It seems that the value stores have only been at full force for about twenty years. My assumption has always been that these seemingly lower quality products (and possibly the companies themselves) were a byproduct of value stores. <br /><br />Ameriplus' is the only bio I've ever read while researching their Mister Plumber drain opener product. Ameriplus' has been around since '59 as Crest Chemical Corporation, and in the '90s they decided to expand new household products directly to supermarkets and other stores. If I recall correctly, not only were the '90s the launch pad for value stores but that's also when store-brand products were introduced. The only "store-brand" products I remember before supermarkets plastered their logo on them were the ones that came in all white containers with black letters on the front indicating what resided within. If you read the back for ingredients the label read, "Read the front!"<br /><br /><br />As I’ve reviewed products that actually have ingredients (excluding edible goods), I've noticed that most of the products are comparable in quality to their brand-name counterparts. This is the case with the ingeniously named “Mister Plumber”. Apartment living, especially in my community, comes with “amenities”. One such “amenity” is an easily clogged bathtub, which is exasperated by the fact that I have mid-back length hair and I shed like a fuckin' dog.<br /><br /><center><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v311/Almacen/Dollar%20Tree/mister%20plumber/bottle.jpg" width=300></center><br /><br />Because my bathtub would fill up to nearly overflowing when I showered, and draining took what seemed like hours, I ended up with nasty crust around the bed of the tub and hair all over the place.<br /><br /><center><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v311/Almacen/Dollar%20Tree/mister%20plumber/unclean.jpg" width=300></center><br /><br />Against Becky's advice I decided to try out Mister Plumber in an effort to update the blog and pretend that people actually read this crap. The bottle comes with 32 oz. of product and you must use half the bottle the first time and, depending on the severity of your mess, potentially repeat the process. So ultimately you will probably not get more than two uses per 32 oz. bottle which seems to be the standard size for name-brand products as well.<br /><br />I've honestly never had to use liquid chemicals to clean a drain but the Dollar Tree came through again. I used the entire bottle but the drain was clean as a virgin's honeypot afterward. I took a shower and barely half an inch of water pooled near the drain.<br /><br /><center><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v311/Almacen/Dollar%20Tree/mister%20plumber/clean.jpg" width=300></center><br /><br />I found and compared Mister Plumber's Material Safety Data Sheet(MSDS) to Drano's MSDS. I found the product to be identical with the only minor differences being the percentages of the liquid's two main ingredients; Sodium Hypoclorite and Sodium Hydroxide. Mister Plumber contained less than 3% of Hydroxide where Drano had less than 2%. On the other side, Mister Plumber contained between 1 and 5% of Hypoclorite where Drano put less than 10% of the chemical which turns out to be just bleach. I really don't know what any of this shit means but I thought it would look interesting on the blog. Below is the label I found online... just for kicks.<br /><br /><center><a href="http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v311/Almacen/Dollar%20Tree/mister%20plumber/?action=view¤t=officallabel.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v311/Almacen/Dollar%20Tree/mister%20plumber/officallabel.jpg" width=300 border="0" alt="click to enlarge"></a></center><br /><br />At $1 per 32 oz. bottle compared to the $5 average that a brand name bottle of the same size runs you this is a great find and one that, should the need arise again, I will revisit.<br /><br />Score: <img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v311/Almacen/DT1.jpg" width=65><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v311/Almacen/DT2.jpg" width=65><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v311/Almacen/DT3.jpg" width=65><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v311/Almacen/DT4.jpg" width=65><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v311/Almacen/DT5.jpg" width=65>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com28tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1046282022203762009.post-19939589248149709892009-11-19T13:03:00.002-05:002009-11-19T13:29:56.698-05:00CREAM CHEESE PEPPER BITESI am not very picky about what I put in my mouth… Wait, that came out wrong. I am a rather adventurous eater (yes, that’s better). Aside from beer, gastronomy is one of my biggest passions. With that said, I am also very reluctant ingesting ANYTHING that comes from the Dollar Tree (or any other similar merchant). I am not entirely sure why, since I know that it can’t possibly be any worse than the street vendor tacos and hot-dogs I used to eat in Mexico or, for that matter, any weirder than bear meat chili, deer soup or the variety of bugs I’ve eaten disguised as delicacies.<br /><br />Going against my common sense, I finally decided it was time to give the Dollar Tree’s frozen food section a try. And what better way than with one of my favorite snack-sized treats: Stuffed Jalapeños. I’ve had several variations of this Mexican/Southern Fried dish, finding, by far, <a href=”http://www.skylandrestaurant.com”>Skyland Restaurant’s</a> to be the best.<br /><br />Today’s tasty treats come to us from <a href=http://www.snapps.us”>Snapps Snacks and Appetizers</a> in their Cream Cheese and Mild Jalapeno variety. For some odd reason their splash page welcomes the inquiring user with a pretty cool country-meets-Saturday-morning-cartoon (for those of us who remember those days) jingle. All I learned from the page was that SNAPPS is a compound of SNacks and APPetizers. As their page clearly states:<br /><br />“SNAPPS™ are delicious, restaurant quality SNacks and APPetizers. The best ingredients...perfect flavor combinations, ready to serve hot from the oven.”<br /><br /><center><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v311/Almacen/Dollar%20Tree/Jalapenos/box.jpg" width=300></center><br /><br />And that for some odd reason my box of fried gold came with 4.25 oz. of product when all their products come in 5.5 oz. I don’t know much about calorie intake given that I’m pretty much a lazy fat-ass, but all in all I consumed approximately 400 calories out of my <a href=”http://www.freedieting.com/tools/calorie_calculator.htm>1866 calorie per day</a> allowance with about 250 coming from fat. I also ingested, per serving (2 pieces) so multiply by 3 and a half servings (plus the blue cheese):<br /><br />3.5g of Saturated Fat<br />15mg of Cholesterol<br />190mg of sodium<br />3g of Protein<br /><br />According to Becky, a serving of the Jalapenos have almost as much fat as a whole Snickers bar - and a Snickers bar has more protein, iron, calcium and fiber, and less sodium. So, if you’re looking for nutritious eating, skip this product.<br /><br />Right out of the box they look like any other battered and fried frozen product I’ve ever tried. They are shaped kinda like frozen mini drumsticks, and left behind the expected frozen fried crumbs on my cookie sheet.<br /><br /><center><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v311/Almacen/Dollar%20Tree/Jalapenos/frozen.jpg" width=300></center><br /><br />Preparation is also pretty standard; heat oven, insert frozen goodies, turn halfway through cycle, remove, cool-off, enjoy.<br /><br />After I flipped them in the middle of their cooking cycle, I was not particularly thrilled with the look of things. I noticed a thin crisp mark running down the middle of my otherwise uncooked Jalapenos. For a split second I considered just putting my hunger aside, and opting for a less threatening bowl of Basic 4.<br /><br /><center><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v311/Almacen/Dollar%20Tree/Jalapenos/fristflip.jpg" width=300></center><br /><br />Fortunately, when I removed them from the oven after the full cooking cycle they had cooked to a beautiful golden brown with a split down the top where the cream cheese and Jalapeno stuffing were deliciously oozing out. <br /><br /><center><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v311/Almacen/Dollar%20Tree/Jalapenos/secondflip.jpg" width=300></center><br /><br />With renewed faith I slopped some bottled blue cheese dressing on a plate and anxiously sat down to try my first Dollar Tree meal.<br /><br /><center><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v311/Almacen/Dollar%20Tree/Jalapenos/finished.jpg" width=300></center><br /><br />Breaking the first nugget of fried goodness in half the filling smelled incredibly good and was still bubbling, as I’ve found most good stuffed Jalapeno dished to do right before consumption.<br /><br /><center><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v311/Almacen/Dollar%20Tree/Jalapenos/ooze.jpg" width=300></center><br /><br />Sadly, the first bite I took was extremely bland; I was only able to taste the blue cheese dressing I’d dipped the critter in. The texture was as expected, crunchy immediately followed by the melted smoothness of the cream cheese, but without any real taste. The heat of the Jalapeno was definitely present and I was pleasantly surprised that it packed enough of a punch to make me notice.<br /><br />I tried the second bite without any blue cheese and there was absolutely no flavor to them. At this point, since my taste buds were still a little tingly from the first bite, the heat from the Jalapeno was barely traceable.<br /><br /><center><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v311/Almacen/Dollar%20Tree/Jalapenos/smothered.jpg" width=300></center><br /><br />In the 4.25 oz. box you get 7 pieces for a buck, which is ultimately not bad when you’re just trying to get a quick snack (and don’t give a rat’s ass about nutrition) while watching a game or your favorite CSI soap opera. On the flip side, the product is too bland to consume alone, so make sure you get a lot of your favorite dipping sauce as well.<br /><br />Score: <img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v311/Almacen/DT1.jpg" width=65><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v311/Almacen/DT2.jpg" width=65><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v311/Almacen/DT3.jpg" width=65>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1046282022203762009.post-72105296139029759452009-10-23T14:43:00.006-04:002009-10-29T17:00:24.165-04:00SCRUB IT QUICK ERASERWell, hello there. It's been a while so let's get right down to it.
<br />
<br />Even though I live in a relatively small apartment (roughly 1,200 sq. ft.) with only my two daughters (who are 6 and 5) half of the week, it is nearly impossible for me to keep it clean when they are around. Thankfully, both are past the age of writing on the wall, which has helped me keep my standard issue off-white paint relatively clean. That was until recently, when I had the bright idea of putting two barstools in front of the bar facing the kitchen where the girls could eat breakfast.
<br />
<br />I've found that for the most part cleaning products from the dollar store perform fine. A while back you were able to buy <a href="http://www.mrclean.com/en_US/magic-eraser.do">Mr. Clean</a> name brand magic erasers at the Dollar Store. So when I ended up with the wonderful Pollock-inspired stains below on the bar's white wall, I rushed to my local Dollar Store to pick some up.
<br />
<br /><center><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v311/Almacen/Dollar%20Tree/Quick%20Eraser/BlueberryStain.jpg" width="300" /> <img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v311/Almacen/Dollar%20Tree/Quick%20Eraser/PrimerStain.jpg" width="300" /></center>
<br />
<br />The first stain was definitely a "N00BIE" stain when Larissa dropped a couple of blueberries and then smeared them with her feet on the wall. The second was a true challenge; red spray primer caked on the wall when Fabianna swung on the swivel chair and scraped the side against the wall.
<br />
<br />It seems that the Dollar Store either ran out, or has decided to stop selling, name brand Magic Erasers and instead I found the only available product; Greenbrier's own Scrub it Quick Erasers.
<br />
<br /><center><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v311/Almacen/Dollar%20Tree/Quick%20Eraser/box.jpg" width=300></center>
<br />
<br />The box comes with two 5x3x1" pads for, obviously, a buck - compared to the name brand stuff which usually runs for a little over $5 for a 4-pack. I snipped about a third off one of the pads as I felt the stains were not big enough to waste the entire pad (and honestly, the whole single dad with two little girls thing makes you cut corners everywhere) and gave it to Larissa because she wanted to help.
<br />
<br /><center><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v311/Almacen/Dollar%20Tree/Quick%20Eraser/Culprit.jpg" width=300></center>
<br /><center>culprit #2</center>
<br />
<br />Unfortunately, even for the blueberry stain, Larissa did not have the "oomph" to get the stain out so I took over.
<br />
<br /><center><embed width="600" height="361" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowFullscreen="true" allowNetworking="all" wmode="transparent" src="http://static.photobucket.com/player.swf?file=http://vidmg.photobucket.com/albums/v311/Almacen/Dollar%20Tree/Quick%20Eraser/PrimerVideo.flv"></center>
<br />
<br />And as expected, the blueberry stain came off without any problems whatsoever.
<br />
<br /><center><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v311/Almacen/Dollar%20Tree/Quick%20Eraser/cleanblueberries.jpg" width=300></center>
<br /><center><i>(that's just a wet spot above, when it dried it was as good as new)</i></center>
<br />The other stain I knew as going to be a challenge, and a challenge it proved to be. The first time around I didn't even tickle the freakin' stain.
<br />
<br /><center><embed width="600" height="361" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowFullscreen="true" allowNetworking="all" wmode="transparent" src="http://static.photobucket.com/player.swf?file=http://vidmg.photobucket.com/albums/v311/Almacen/Dollar%20Tree/Quick%20Eraser/PrimerVideo.flv"></center>
<br />
<br />I really wasn't expecting it to work on the primer but something told me to try it again and, as I've heard many folk here in the South say, "give it hell". I applied extra pressure (I guess I really applied a helluva lotta pressure) and eventually i was able to "erase" it off!
<br />
<br /><center><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v311/Almacen/Dollar%20Tree/Quick%20Eraser/cleanprimer1.jpg" width=300></center>
<br />Above is Larissa's triumphant smile as she realized she would not have to go in the corner for 5 minutes since the stains came off.
<br />
<br />After both stains were successfully removed all that was left was the bi-colored, used up carcass of the Quick Eraser which to my surprise performed above all expectations. This is definitely something every household should have, and for a buck it beats the hell outta Mr. Clean.
<br />
<br /><center><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v311/Almacen/Dollar%20Tree/Quick%20Eraser/usedup.jpg" width=300></center>
<br />
<br />Score: <img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v311/Almacen/DT1.jpg" width=65><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v311/Almacen/DT2.jpg" width=65><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v311/Almacen/DT3.jpg" width=65><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v311/Almacen/DT4.jpg" width=65><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v311/Almacen/DT5.jpg" width=65>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1046282022203762009.post-60958994199694375792009-05-21T09:09:00.003-04:002009-05-21T09:12:19.341-04:00BASIC INTRUCTIONSSorry, no updates. I have found no inspiration lately.<br /><br />Great mention of the "Everything's a Dollar Store" in one of my favorite strips, <a href="http://www.http://basicinstructions.net/?p=1080">Basic Instructions</a>.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1046282022203762009.post-70020573918927799802009-04-06T14:29:00.004-04:002009-04-06T15:32:38.966-04:00THE GREAT STARS OF VAUDEVILLEMost of the Dollar Tree stores have a mine of audio, video and multimedia jewels waiting for the consumer-miner to exploit. These pieces are sometimes obscure or ancient releases that bring back childhood memories or memories of discussions with my parents about shows/songs they used to enjoy. Sometimes the concepts alone make you laugh at the thought that someone actually believed that releasing some of this shit was a profitable idea!!!!<br /><br />Throughout the years I've purchased many of these marvels for myself and my kids. My little girls are fascinated by the many DVDs we've bought featuring <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Little_Lulu">Little Lulu</a> (their favorite so far), <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Popeye">Popeye</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Casper_the_Friendly_Ghost">Casper</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Woody_woodpecker">Woody Woodpecker</a> and countless others I wasn't even aware they existed like <a href="http://www.retrojunk.com/details_tvshows/1298-wacky-and-packy/">Wacky and Packy</a>, the Josh Kirby series which included a hot raggedy-ann type doll spewing sexual innuendos every other sentence and Happo Hippo (i think that was its name) about a Hippo who was petrified of immunization shots.<br /><br />I on the other hand have purchased many a classic horror flicks such as <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0033787/">King of the Zombies</a>, <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0061140/">The Undertaker and His Pals</a>/<a href="http://www.imdb.com/find?s=all&q=children+shouldn%27t+play+with+dead+things">Children Shouldn't Play with Dead Things</a> double feature and others. On the audio side I've obtained such marvels (I'm serious there, no sarcasm, some of these CDs are awesome!!!) such as <a href="http://countrymusic.about.com/library/blomickeywhereartthourev.htm">Oh Mickey Where Art Thou?</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Killer_Queen:_A_Tribute_to_Queen">Killer Queen, A Tribute to Queen</a> and <a href="http://www.mnblues.com/cdreview/2001/aerosmith-sd.html">Sweet Emotions: Songs of Aerosmith</a> an eargasmic compilation of Aerosmith's songs by blues artists complete with <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Otis_Clay">Otis Clay's</a> sublime rendition of <em>Cryin'</em>.<br /><br />And it is with audio that I want to stick as this is where the product we're looking into resides. I am unsure what possessed me to purchase The Great Stars of Vaudeville since I don't know crap bout Vaudeville. The only thing I know about it is that it's part of the name of the local <a href="http://www.bigmammasproductions.com/">burlesque</a> show troupe's name. Regardless, I purchased and actually enjoyed it very much but I would not be able to justly review a CD in a genre of which I am unfamiliar.<br /><br />So with that said I am asking if anyone out there knows about this type of music and is willing to review it. I will either FTP or find a way to send you my copy so you can hear it. Below you will find a list of songs.<br /><br /><center><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3625/3419112698_9ca81f6dcb_o.jpg" width=300> <img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3404/3419112700_e3ac23bcaa_o.jpg" width=300></center><br /><br />1. Linger a Little Longer in the Twilight by Rudy Vallee & His Connecticut Yankees. Recorded on 1/1/1933.<br /><br />2. Little Curly Hair in a High Chair by Eddie Cantor with Jerry Joyce & His Orchestra. Recorded on 2/29/1940.<br /><br />3. Can Broadway Do Without Me? by Clayton, Jackson & Durante. Recorded on 5/9/1929<br /><br />4. Comedy Skit by George Burns & Gracie Allen; Rube Bloom at the Piano. Recorded on 6/9/1933<br /><br />5. Rock-a-Bye Your Baby With a Dixie Melody by Al Jolson with Guy Lombardo & His Royal Canadians. Recorded on 12/20/1932<br /><br />6. The Temperance Lecture by W.C. Fields. Recorded date unknown.<br /><br />7. The Rose of Tralee by Morton Downey; Orchestra under the direction of Nat Brandywynne. Recorded on 4/10/1940<br /><br />8. Come Out-Come Out-Wherever You Are by Baby Rose Marie. Recorded on 4/22/1933<br /><br />9. Home on the Range by Arthur Tracy (The Street Singer). Recorded on 2/7/1934<br /><br />10. Phonetic PUnctuation by Victor Borge. Recorded on 7/20/45<br /><br />The CD was put out by <a href="http://www.smsp.com">Sony Special Products</a> which is a special marketing division of Sony/BMG Music Entertainment that specializes in customizing CD compilations using their catalog to target specific demographics. I have seen similar CDs in the Dollar Tree but this is the first time I've picked one up by this divsion of Sony/BMG.<br /><br />Again, if anyone is into Vaudeville and would like to review this for us we send a dollar for your efforts!!!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1046282022203762009.post-43539288327110120492009-04-03T16:27:00.006-04:002009-04-05T21:22:30.643-04:00SUNGLASSES CLIP HOLDERThere isn't really much to say about this nifty little gadget but that it works like a charm. We've all seen them in stores or in some one's car. Hells, you might even have one in yours. I know I have two in mine, one from the Dollar Tree which is being reviewed now and another from a regular store which I stole from Becky.<br /><br /><center><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3351/3409524389_4dafffc756_o.jpg" width=200> <img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3342/3409524469_fe6cc729b9_o.jpg" width=200></center><br /><br />My assumption is that "SunTropez" is a variation of Saint Tropez in an evil marketing ploy to evoke the sunny and expensive French Riviera. Thus giving the bargain hunter the false sense of gaudy American riches parading expensive possessions, such as this clip, whilst rubbing elbows with the crème de la crème in France. Or maybe it just sounded cool...<br /><br />Although at first glance the clip seems like any ordinary clip I noticed that when snapped shut the latch didn't fully... umm.... latch.<br /><br /><center><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3537/3409524557_64096497a8_o.jpg" width=200> <img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3364/3409524503_a89b5f3dd6_o.jpg" width=200></center><br /><br /><br />I had to push the clip shut with some strenght so it would remain closed. Once closed though it performed it's job flawlessly.<br /><br />It also felt a little on the cheap side with shoddy production quality obviously made somewhere in the bowels of China. <br /><br /><center><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3300/3409524607_a7d4b41306_o.jpg" width=300></center><br /><br />Those are my nifty sunglasses which are NOT from Dollar Tree. Well, this is a plain and simple yet highly efficient little tool worth every penny. I was unable to find anything online about SunTropez or the product but some Yahoo selling an identical clip in blue for a dollar.<br /><br />See ya'll in Saint Tropez!<br /><br />Score: <img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v311/Almacen/DT1.jpg" width=65><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v311/Almacen/DT2.jpg" width=65><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v311/Almacen/DT3.jpg" width=65><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v311/Almacen/DT4.jpg" width=65><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v311/Almacen/DT5.jpg" width=65>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1046282022203762009.post-24606268673728830922009-04-03T13:51:00.010-04:002009-04-03T16:24:27.237-04:00BACON WRAPPED BEEF STEAK (I hope!)Well, one of the Dollar Trees near my house has a frozen food section. A couple of months ago Becky and I actually made an entire spaghetti dinner using only Dollar Tree products. Albeit, all the kids and Becky liked it, I couldn't bring myself to even try it. I recall that the noodles turned out rubbery and stuck together giving it an eerie resemblance to a pale-yellow brain.<br /><br />As if that wasn't enough to churn your stomach, we took it a few steps further and actually purchased a meat-based product (or at least that's what the label said) to review. Unfortunately, we bought and fixed this sometime in Mid February 2009, I just hadn't gotten around to actually review it. The details may be a little hazy by now.<br /><br />For some reason I still find purchasing edibles from any "Value" store a bold and brave move left to those who've no other option. I have a hard time even bringing myself to put some of these products in my mouth even though I am not an excessively picky eater. When I first saw the product below I knew it would be a great item to review. I also knew that, just like any other edible product, I would not try it myself. Fortunately Becky was around and immediately agreed to try it despite its dubious appearance.<br /><br /><center><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3304/3275982717_d10bea27df_o.jpg" width=300></center><br /><br />From what little I can remember and matching the logo and barely legible name on the pic I took with my phone this culinary delight was concocted by the masters at <a href="http://www.chefsrequested.com/"> Chef's Requested Foods</a> who boast of taking "the best raw materials, process them with skill and precision to the highest standards, and are committed to uncompromising customer service..." in addition to being "the cook's best friend." I wonder if they fetch sticks....<br /><br />At first glance, looking at it through the back of the packaging, the product itself looked very appealing. Unlike many other similar products my bacon wrapped beef steak had no discernable properties that made it a pefect candidate for the Mecklenburg County Jail (trust me, I know, I've been there!).<br /><br /><center><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3521/3276801746_e20048a369_o.jpg" width=300></center><br /><br />The meat itself looked like any other regular pre-packaged ground beef and had a nice dark reddish color which I commonly see in ground meats. The bacon also looked like any run of the mill candidate from any of prepackaged name brand types. At the time I thought that as long as my filet mignon wannabe disc looked as decent when cooked as it did now I would even be willing to try it.<br /><br />Then the problems started...<br /><br /><center><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3513/3275982859_a57ddbee46_o.jpg" width=300></center><br /><br />The second I freed my processed-carcass-and-swine meal the whole thing practically became a failed science experiment. Obviously, coming right out of the freezer my meat-disc was frozen solid but as you can see above from the picture above, the ripples created by the plastic wrapping adhering to the meat during the freezing process gave the meat a fake gelatinous look. The once reddish meat now had a nauseating browinsh color while the bacon turned a toxic yellow.<br /><br />At this point I actually wondered if what I was about to pan-fry in my kitchen was once a living, breathing organism or a scientific monstrosity created in a lab. As I turned my disc around I made a startling discovery embedded dead in the center of my "meat"-disc which sent shivers down my spine...<br /><br /><center><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3385/3276801922_ea32b9c39b_o.jpg" width=300></center><br /><br />The sign of the Beast itself!!!! the dreaded "Dubya" was staring at me with the same hell stare I catch from Barbara Streisand every time I watch Yentl! I immediately threw on my oven mitts and the standard issued Hazmat suit that came when I bought the meat and threw into the fiery pits of Hades (aka, my hot iron skillet).<br /><br /><center><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3328/3275982549_a190771922_o.jpg" width=300></center><br /><em>Notice, the sign of the Morning Star himself is facing downwards? Coincidence you say? I think not!</em><br /><br />After a few minutes of frying I flipped the disc over and everything seemed to be going according to plan. Except for the faint smell of sulfur and nalpm in the air. The meat and bacon were browning nicely.<br /><br /><center><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3376/3276801866_7dd13c3eb0_o.jpg" width=300></center><br /><br />After a few more minutes my once-beautiful disc-o-meat looked more like a lump of charcoal. The bacon was nearly burnt and the meat just didn't seem to cook. I sliced it open while still in the skillet only to witness the spewing of melted fat from the center of the disc.<br /><br /><center><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3312/3275982361_3b018994ee_o.jpg" width=300></center><br /><br />The sight made me jump back and shriek like a little girl with a skinned knee. I retreated to a dark corner of my kitchen and curled up in a fetal position sobbing uncontrollably... then Becky came in and made fun of me. I mustered the strenght to get back up and plate the disemboweled piece of "meat" on a place for Becky to examine. The entrails of the now-pac-man-looking disc still oozing onto my plate and all!<br /><br /><center><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3261/3276802224_f1b07a1e88_o.jpg" width=200> <img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3519/3276801998_acb7acac59_o.jpg" width=200></center><br /><br />Upon further inspeaction Becky, ever so matter-of-factly said, "just cook it longer, it still looks raw". Voila!!! And with that revelation I threw the butchered bovine back into my iron skillet.<br /><br />Finally, after another 10 minutes the disc was ready for consumption... granted, not by me, but thank God Becky was there.<br /><br /><center><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3397/3275982799_0976fbf596_o.jpg" width=300></center><br /><br />Now, I am a God-a'dreadin', non-practicing Catholic but fortunately I am dating the Winged Spawn of Satan herself who was more than willing to sample the charred remains of what was once, not one, but two of God's beautiful creatures.<br /><br /><center><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3423/3276802368_306aae3af3_o.jpg" width=200> <img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3370/3276802590_14d4d3a2db_o.jpg" width=200></center><br /><br />Becky claims the "meat" wasn't all that bad; it simply tasted like un-condimented ground beef and cheap bacon. Despite several efforts she was unable to make me join her unholy allience with Chef's Request Food and Lucifer himself by trying the forsaken cow and pig remains. I guess I just have to take her word for it.<br /><br />Becky rated this product 2 out of 5.<br /><br />Score: <img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v311/Almacen/DT1.jpg" width=75><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v311/Almacen/DT2.jpg" width=75>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1046282022203762009.post-13570414394113496322009-02-16T09:45:00.002-05:002009-02-16T09:52:08.219-05:00A MOMENT OF SILENCEWell, Friday afternoon was the last time I saw "greenie". He was last seen in a corporate office break room wearing a blue flowerpot with a smiley face. "Greenie" was approximately 1 and a half months old at the time of his disappearance. "Greenie" was survived by pointless blog entries.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1046282022203762009.post-72625369044692235812009-02-13T10:26:00.005-05:002009-02-13T11:40:23.956-05:00GROW YOUR OWN PLANTThe department I work for in my organization is rather small. There is a total of six of us including our manager. One of our co-workers is very into celebrating anything and everything so she made a huge deal out of decorating our 4'x6' cells for the company-wide decorating contest.<br /><br />I am into crap like that, otherwise my cube wouldn't look like a 15 year old teenager's room, so I agreed to buy all the stuffings for our coworkers. Cheap-ass that I am I bought most of them at the dollar store (with a little mix from Target's dollar spot area). If I can remember correctly I bought a toy lump of coal, a xmas tree candy ornament and a grow your own plant pot at the Dollar Tree.<br /><br />Regardless, we all ended up with a nifty little flower pot with different plants. I am unsure what the rest of the ungreatful bastards in my department did with their plants but the guy who sits next to me and I busted out our green thumbs... and for the first time in my life I was growing something legal.<br /><br />I watered and whispered sweet nothings to my little plant for nearly two months. I grew fond of my little green friend but like with everything else I do, including my children, I grew tired of being responsible. So, instead of doing the mature thing and suck it up I abandoned the poor little plant to its luck by releasing it into the ruthless land of a corporate america breakroom.<br /><br /><br /><strong>DAY 1</strong><br />On February 12, 2009, armed "greenie" (I can't come up with anything else) with a smiley face and a message that read "Orphan Plant. Please take care of me." and set it in the breakroom.<br /><br /><center><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3452/3276801810_b0513cb7d4_o.jpg" width=300></center><br /><br />I thought I'd take a pic each day to see how long it lasts before someone takes it, kills it or something far worse.<br /><br /><strong>DAY 2</strong><br />I checked the plant this morning and someone had moved it to the top of one of the microwaves... not the safest place for a living organism but oh well. I also noticed that someone had actually watered little "greenie". Yay!!!<br /><br /><br /><center><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3457/3275995691_b56c71a93a_o.jpg" width=300></center><br /><br />Tune in tomorrow, same plant time, same plant channel for another update.<br /><br />Sometime this week I will review not one but TWO food items we got from the Dollar Tree... trust me... it ain't gun be prutty!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1046282022203762009.post-20398624500178502612009-01-07T09:51:00.014-05:002009-01-08T13:29:47.630-05:00GENERIC PIRATE PLAYSETHello Kiddies! Today we’re going to check out a Pirate play set. Albeit, I’ve never really been a fan of anything pirate but some of the detail this toy had amused me enough to buy it.<br /><br /><center><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v311/Almacen/Dollar%20Tree/Pirate/1.jpg" width=300></center><br /><br />The first thing I noticed is that I am unable to determine the company that actually made this toy. There is no company name or logo anywhere on the packaging. The only information I was able to find was that, as most of Dollar Tree’s products, it was distributed by Greenbrier International, Inc. The fabled Greenbrier International, Inc organization seems to be one of those Where's-Waldo-type organizations that deal only with Chinese or other foreign merchants and nearly impossible to find any information on. I did a few searches online but came up short.<br /><br />I was able to find a <a href=http://www.topix.com/forum/com/dltr/TEV4N51BIVP39I45S>thread</a> about the company and a poster said:<br /><br />“If anyone has luck finding out the contact info for "Distributed by Greenbrier International, Inc. Chesapeake, VA 23320. Please let me know. I do not think this company is accessible. Products are made in China. Somewhere there is several layers involved, which means no one may know anything and everyone will know nothing. Good Luck”<br /><br />Well, as I read the entry above the realization hit me that by reviewing this I am placing my life in peril for you; my only friends and loyal reads… yes, I realize there are no readers… shut up… Anyway, given all the lead poisonings that have originated in China recently I was a little apprehensive to open the package. But screw it! I let my children play with similar toys all the time and aside from a couple extra limbs and the absence of pigment they’re all right.<br /><br /><center><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v311/Almacen/Dollar%20Tree/Pirate/2.jpg" width=300></center><br /><br />Ahoy matey… or ARGH! Whichever; but there you have it. The ruthless captain in all his glory and ready to set sail in his plastic/wooden pirate raft in search for buried treasures and larger than life adventures. Oddly, our fearless captain has a freakish resemble to the beloved <a href=http://www.moviefone.com/insidemovies/2007/10/18/goonies-cast-where-are-they-now/>Sloth</a> from <a href=http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0089218/>The Goonies</a>.<br /><br /><center><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v311/Almacen/Dollar%20Tree/Pirate/3.jpg" width=150> <img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v311/Almacen/Dollar%20Tree/Pirate/4.jpg" width=150></center><br /><br />Unfortunately, Captain Sloth’s weapons of choice are cartoonishly disproportionate to his size. That freakin’ hand cannon alone would be enough to take over most of Libya with a single shot. That and the fact that Captain Sloth has what appears to be a sock puppet for a left hand explains the reason he sails around in a raft rather than a bonafide pirate ship!<br /><br /><center> <img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v311/Almacen/Dollar%20Tree/Pirate/5.jpg" width=300></center><br /><br />The raft, which for a Dollar Tree toy is rather detailed and well put together, does have a rather cool pirate design on its sail. This is the type of pirate skull that strikes fear in the heart of the wicked!<br /><br /><center><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v311/Almacen/Dollar%20Tree/Pirate/6.jpg" width=300></center><br /><br />Additionally the raft comes with enough detail which not only includes the two paddles but actual paddle “holes” (or whatever they’re called). Unfortunately the paddles do not fit through the holes or if they do I was unable to figure out how. Not that it matters since Captain Sloth’s raft is not buoyant and sank faster than the New Kids on the Block comeback.<br /><br /><center> <img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v311/Almacen/Dollar%20Tree/Pirate/7-1.jpg" width=300></center><br /><br />Lastly we have the palm tree…. It’s a palm tree. Enough said.<br /><br /><center><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v311/Almacen/Dollar%20Tree/Pirate/8.jpg" width=300></center><br /><br />Since Captain Sloth’s limbs cannot be moved at all, the weapons are ridiculously big, the raft does not float and he has a sock puppet instead of a parrot (or left hand) I’d say the chances of any kid having fun with this toy are as much as playing with a stick of incense. When I purchased this I noticed there were <b>no</b> additional Pirate sets which means Captain Sloth, Socko and any unfortuate kid who happens to get this will never find other pirates to play with.<br /><br />Score: <img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v311/Almacen/DT1.jpg" width=75>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1046282022203762009.post-44901771474117205982009-01-06T13:31:00.010-05:002009-01-08T13:33:28.110-05:00MARTIN DESIGNS STICKY NOTESDISCLAIMER: I want to resume this blog (I even added my girlfriend as an author so we can post frequently) and I am sitting in my office with nothing brand new to review; so I'm gonna review something I bought years ago at the dollar store. Trust me, it'll be a crappy review.<br /><br />Working in a monument to corporate America it is usually unnecessary for me to buy any office products. Everything office-related you can possibly imagine is as readily available in my office as a wheelchair-bound prostitute in Tijuana.<br /><br />But every now and then something so office-y unique and amazing beckons me. Must be the Aztec blood in me trading in gold for pieces of mirror; but despite the unlimited supply of multi-colored post it notes in my office I had to purchase <a href="http://www.martindesigns-ltd.com">Martin Designs</a>' sticky notes the second I laid eyes upon them.<br /><br /><center><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v311/Almacen/Dollar%20Tree/StickyNotes/1.jpg" width=300></center><br /><br />I've seen my share of "fancy" sticky notes in the past; everything from puppy dogs in pastel motifs to over-elaborate art nouveau which simply seem to be trying excessively hard (and failing miserably) at being unique.<br /><br />The creative geniuses at Martin Designs followed more of a Ludwig Mies van der Rohe approach to their stationary masterpieces. The elegant simplicity of the design alone can definitely fool anyone into thinking these came from <a href="http://www.sharonluggage.com">Sharon Luggage</a> than my beloved Dollar Tree.<br /><br />Enough of the aesthetics though. Performance, which I understand is more relevant than size, is up next. Well, it's a sticky note... and you write on it... And as far as that goes it serves it's purpose as well as any of it's over-priced counterparts. So, we're good when it comes to writing on it... I mean, just look at how perfect a job it does to remind me that should I ever be dumb enough to wipe out my printer from my laptop again "\\print01" is where I should look to reinstall it!<br /><br /><center><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v311/Almacen/Dollar%20Tree/StickyNotes/2.jpg" width=300></center><br /><br />Or, for my conference call/web meeting log in info for when those pesky clients actually demand true customer service!<br /><br /><center><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v311/Almacen/Dollar%20Tree/StickyNotes/3.jpg" width=300></center><br /><br />Unfortunately the problems begin when trying to actually <i>post</i> them somwhere. The bottom portion fell out over a year ago when I first tried to use the thing. Furthermore, trying to keep one of my fancy sticky notes stuck to anything for more than 30 seconds is an exercise in futility short of using clear tape... (note the pin in the picture above) which would defeat the purpose of a self-adhesive note.<br /><br /><center><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v311/Almacen/Dollar%20Tree/StickyNotes/4.jpg" width=150> <img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v311/Almacen/Dollar%20Tree/StickyNotes/5.jpg" width=150></center><br /><br />I am unsure why these sticky notes have outlasted most of all the pets I've ever own. I bought them sometime in 2006 and I still have over 50 of each of the two designs.<br /><br />OH! I visited the site printed on the back of the backboard only to find out that Martin Designs "It is the real estate mortgage loan vendor of the Japanese nationwide corresponding possibility" (I love Engrish) and not a stationary company as I originally thought. Go figure.<br /><br />I think that it.... told you this one would suck...<br /><br />Score: <img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v311/Almacen/DT1.jpg" width=75><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v311/Almacen/DT2.jpg" width=75><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v311/Almacen/DT3.jpg" width=75>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1046282022203762009.post-58853652752662661192008-02-24T09:45:00.003-05:002008-02-26T15:33:27.860-05:00NEGLECTI know I've been neglecting this blog but I will pick it back up in the next day or so.<br /><br />thanks,Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1046282022203762009.post-86601869504868128422007-09-30T13:18:00.000-04:002007-09-30T18:48:56.126-04:00MAKE YOUR OWN GUMMY ICE CREAMWell, it's 1:34 PM the day after Charlotte's Oktoberfest and my head doesn't feel like it's going to explode at any second so I figured I'd review the first product.<br /><br />The Dollar Tree we frequent most boasts of two entire aisles with almost an endless variety of candies and snacks. And it was while marvelling through one of these corridors of tooth decay that I found what promised to be an entry-worthy confection.<br /><br /><center><a href="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v311/Almacen/Dollar%20Tree/gummy1.jpg"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v311/Almacen/Dollar%20Tree/gummy1.jpg" width=350 alt="Click for larger image" /></a></center><br /><br />I've seen all types of weird gummy things. Everything from pizza to human anatomies; but for some reason this product caught my eye. I think the main reason was that with most others everything you get is made of gummy. But Frankford Candy & Chocolate Co. took it a few steps further. If you look closely you can see the variety of candies within.<br /><br /><center><a href="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v311/Almacen/Dollar%20Tree/gummy2-1.jpg"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v311/Almacen/Dollar%20Tree/gummy2-1.jpg" width=350 alt="Click for larger image" /></a></center><br /><br />The first two compartments are filled with six, multicolored, gummy ice cream "scoops". The "scoops" are actually the <em>only</em> portion made of gummy and have the consistency of chewed <a href="http://www.theultimatebubble.com/">Bubblicious</a> gum. The first thing you notice when you open one of the individually wrapped puffs is the poignant scent of refined sugar. Out of curiosity I opened one of each color puff hoping for different smells but this was not the case.<br /><br /><center><a href="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v311/Almacen/Dollar%20Tree/gummy4.jpg"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v311/Almacen/Dollar%20Tree/gummy4.jpg" width=350 alt="Click for larger image" /></a> <a href="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v311/Almacen/Dollar%20Tree/gummy3.jpg"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v311/Almacen/Dollar%20Tree/gummy3.jpg" width=350 alt="Click for larger image" /></a></center><br /><br />Then you have your "waffle" cones made from what appears to be styrofoam! Now, I know I've eaten this stuff before; being raised Catholic we had to simulate cannibalism (or something like that) by eating a disk made from this stuff. I really don't know what it's called but it's pretty bland. Not much more to say about the cones.<br /><br /><center><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v311/Almacen/Dollar%20Tree/gummy5.jpg" width=350></center><br /><br />Next in line are most kids' favorite cupcake topping, the candy sprinkles. I think one of the things that appealed my inner child the most when I set eyes upon this dentist's nightmare was the sheer amount of "toppings" you had for your pseudo ice cream cone. Everyone in the entire planet has at some point had some sort of candy or desert with the fabled sprinkles. On top of that my DIY ice cream package not only came with sprinkles but with candy bits as well! Those folk over at Frankford sure do know how to please the crowd!<br /><br />Unfortunately, there was something horribly wrong with my candy bits. Unlike the sprinkles that were free to roam their plastic home as they pleased, the bits felt melted and failed to move when I shook my bag. Not to mention the bits looked of the lowest possible quality. In Mexico, we have these cookies that are used as goodie bag fillers at kids' birthday parties called <a href="http://www.mexgrocer.com/5612.html">Grageas</a>. They are my first and more fond memory of candy bits. Now, the bits used in those cookies that are produced in a third world country were of better quality than their Dollar Tree counterparts. Sadly, the realization suddenly hit me that I would be unable to truly use my bits as one of my toppings.<br /><br /><center><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v311/Almacen/Dollar%20Tree/gummy6.jpg" width=200> <img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v311/Almacen/Dollar%20Tree/gummy7.jpg" width=200></center><br />And as usual, the best is saved or last. Do you see the bag of sludge below?<br /><br /><center><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v311/Almacen/Dollar%20Tree/gummy8.jpg" width=350></center><br /><br />Well this is the alleged chocolate sauce. Just looking at this phlegmatic monstrosity makes my veins feel even more clogged than they are! But alas, it does resemble translucent chocolate syrup. Oddly, it had the faint smell of Formula 44... go figure.<br /><br />So, now I'm ready to make my very own, custom-made, one-of-a-king Ice Cream Gummy candy. The possibilities looked endless; check out my concoctions...<br /><br /><center><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v311/Almacen/Dollar%20Tree/ToxicWaste.jpg" width=200> <img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v311/Almacen/Dollar%20Tree/ThePoppedCherry.jpg" width=200><br />The Toxic Waste -------- The Cherry Popper<br /><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v311/Almacen/Dollar%20Tree/MarshallThurstonthe3rd.jpg" width=200> <img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v311/Almacen/Dollar%20Tree/SundaeBloodySunday.jpg" width=200><br />The Marshall Thurston the III -------- And, when all else fails, the Sundae Bloody Sunday<br /></center><br /><br />Anyway, the whole thing was insanely messy and sticky. Certainly not worth the effort unless you wanna spend your afternoon with your kids playing ice cream parlor instead of tea party. Unfortunately neither of my kids were around to serve as guinea pigs so I've no idea what any of this shit tastes like. Regardless, it all ended up in the trash.<br /><br />Score: <img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v311/Almacen/DT1.jpg" width=75><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v311/Almacen/DT2.jpg" width=75><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v311/Almacen/DT3.jpg" width=75>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1046282022203762009.post-54817450231556837202007-09-30T13:07:00.001-04:002007-09-30T13:14:12.092-04:00INTROWell, this blog is pretty simple and straight to the point. I love the Dollar Tree stores. We didn't have these growing up in Brownsville, TX. The closest you can get to $1 items or toys was at Walgreen's stores when they used to be embedded in malls. Well, that and the crappy, unsanitary local supermarket chain, Lopez. Even then, the type of items you were able to get for $1 were limited and for the most part crappy. I remember mostly being able to get those tubes of latex-type material with a straw to blow colored bubbles and parachute army men. Which, by all means, at the time was just as CRAPPY AS THEY ARE NOW!<br /><br />But now, with two kids of my own, and in Charlotte, NC the Dollar Tree stores are humanity's highest achievement since the first batch of catfish hushpuppies. I first heard, and walked into a DT store when my wife told me about them. I'd been to Everything for a Dollar (or more commonly in the 90's for $0.99) and the experience can only be compared to walking into a retail war zone. Merchandise so old you would not wish it upon your worst enemy. Isles of scattered garbage, opened or broken items littered most of these hell holes. The items look and were cheap and mostly Chinese rip offs of popular items. I do not know if DT stores started this way but the four stores within my area are better kept and stocked than most big box stores. Isle after Isle of identically priced treasures just ripe for the pickin'!<br /><br />Recently, we've even seen a huge increase in name brand items for one loveable dollar! One of the stores in our area even has a frozen food area (Aside from candy, I've never actually bought anything edible form DT but that may change soon for this blog experiment of mine). Overall, I go to one of the four DT stores in my area 2-3 times a week without a shopping agenda. I go just to see what they have and buy the most useless, insignificant trinket I can find for the sole purpose of saying I bought it for $1! Sad, perhaps, but I love it!!!!<br /><br />So, this is my blog about my fascination with this monument of consumerism. I hope you enjoy it.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3