Camera Armor

OK, I am the biggest klutz. An expensive camera is truly the last thing I should be allowed to carry, yet I have a nice one... add the lenses & I have an overly retarded expensive one!

The other day I had to toss my camera down to catch my infant son who was falling from a rock into some rocks (he just learned he could semi-crawl that morning)! I was certain it was all over. The camera was now broke &/or the lens was damaged for good. I didn't care at the moment, ... however once we both stopped crying, I found it hard to keep clicking away knowing it was pointless.

Then I got home, plugged it in to review the damage, & it was perfect! Nothing was broke! Not even a scratch or a blurry image (well besides those from my son being tied to me & kicking)! WHY?

Camera Armor! I had gotten this a few years back as more of an extra grip for my clumsy hands...kind of like a grip for a gun. I never even thought about the product past that point. I have had a few bumps here & there, but this was the first actual test of the armor.

I am now a believer & wanted to share this with everyone! If you have a camera worth protecting, especially you professionals, check this out! You definitely need it in your equipment bag!

Amazon Boycott!

Once I learned of Amazon's new APO/FPO shipping policies & also learned that it is strictly Amazon.com with the issue, I started to do some work-a-rounds. For Example:

I wanted a Microplane Cheese Grater (the best on the market!) but Amazon.com could not ship it to me for whatever category it fell into...gourmet cooking items? So I thought, let's see if this is Amazon or Microplane. I went to Microplane.com & ordered my grater & got it here in less than a week! THANKS MICROPLANE! Thus, it is definitely Amazon with the issue, not the companies of the actual products. I have done this with a few items.

However, one item that I cannot do this with is the one product that is strictly Amazon: the Amazon Kindle DX. I can get all the accessories shipped here or to the States no matter my billing address, but I cannot get the Kindle here or in the States because of my billing address? Yes! Here is Amazon's response:

" Hello,

In regards to your inquiry, it seems that the Kindle order has already been canceled, as we have tried billing your credit card three times. Canceled orders can't be reinstated. I looked at your credit card and found that the billing address is an FPO address, and that is preventing the order from completing. As you already know, the shipping and billing addresses need to be a U.S. based billing address, and FPO address can't be used.

As a suggestion, you could purchase an Amazon Gift Card and have your friend that you are shipping it to redeem it to their account, purchase the Kindle using their information. They will then be able to send the Kindle to you.

I hope this information helps.

Please let us know if this e-mail resolved your question: "

Yes, I have some bloody questions!:

• First, are you saying you split my order up to move the Kindle to it's own "order"? Because every other email I have received showed the Kindle DX & the Belkin Sleeve on the same order...as one order...under the same order number in reference. So you purposely are not shipping the Kindle to or for a service-member?

• Are you now saying that I cannot use your site to ship any items because my "billing" address is a military address?

• Are you suggesting that because of my billing address that I will not be able to use your site to ship any gifts (i.e. Christmas & birthdays) to the States, which is where this order was going?

• Are you suggesting that you have been in error with shipping to anyone who does have a military address, since many still have received items from you recently here in this overseas military community?

• Or are you simply suggesting that I, me, personally, cannot get items from you, however, everyone else can?

Amazon, when a product that is solely manufactured by you, such as the Kindle, it should be exempt from any "policies" you have in place. Secondly, you are limiting your customer base by handling this product by such "policies".

Thirdly...I am boycotting you from now on! You will no longer have my business, and I will continue to spread the word about your bad customer service & foul attitude towards military service-members and their families.

The Once Prestigious Amazon.com Now Letting Down Those Who Serve!

I have been on a online shopping warpath! I can't get what I need or want here in Japan on the economy, I can't get it at the NEX online or here on base, & I now can't get it with Amazon!? What kind of horse-poo is that?

The once prestigious Amazon.com that promised many overseas Americans a way of getting what they need & want has limited their shipping policies to very limited goods. You can't even get a cheese grater through them, or cutting boards, because they fall under "gourmet cooking" items! Seriously? 4 cutting boards at $14.95 are "gourmet" now? Wow! I sure am behind the times.

To rub more salt into that wound, the Amazon Kindle cannot be shipped to an APO/FPO address under the "computer" items limitation. Really? So those who can really get the best benefits & use from it, sailors aboard a ship stationed way out to sea, can't get this product?

Below is what Amazon's policies are for shipping:

Shipping Restrictions

Warranty issues and manufacturer restrictions prevent us from shipping certain products to all geographical locations. In addition, some items too big to ship to a P.O. box must be shipped to a street address. You'll be notified while placing your order if we're unable to ship specific items to the address you've selected. Below are some general guidelines for items shipped by Amazon.com to the following destinations:

• Alaska and Hawaii
• APO/FPO Addresses
• U.S. Protectorates (including Puerto Rico)
• Prisons
• International Shipping Help

If you are purchasing an item from Amazon Marketplace, read about Marketplace shipping restrictions.

Books that require special handling because they are extremely heavy (for example, multi-volume sets) can be shipped only to locations within the U.S. Please also check the product detail pages for this and any other item-specific shipping restrictions.

---

Alaska and Hawaii Addresses

Most items can be shipped to Alaska and Hawaii addresses, except:

• grocery items
• gourmet food items

Additionally, some items from our Tools & Hardware and Outdoor Living stores can't be shipped to Alaska or Hawaii if they are extremely heavy, oddly-shaped, or considered hazardous. Check the item's product detail page for eligibility and available shipping options. Only specific shipping options may be available for some addresses. Available shipping options will appear at checkout when you enter a shipping address.

APO/FPO Addresses

Most items can be shipped to APO/FPO addresses, except:

• cell phones and service
• computers
• furniture
• grocery items
• gourmet food items
• outdoor living items
• Target@Amazon.com items

Additionally, some apparel, camera and photo, electronics, health and personal care, housewares, jewelry, software, sports, and tools and hardware items cannot be shipped to APO/FPO addresses. Check the item's product detail page for eligibility.

Learn more about shipping to APO/FPO addresses.

U.S. Protectorates (including Puerto Rico)

Only the following items can be shipped to U.S. Protectorates:

• baby items
• books
• DVDs
• music
• software
• toys
• VHS videos
• video games

Learn more about shipping to U.S. Protectorates.

Prisons

Amazon.com delivers to penitentiaries, but we strongly suggest you contact the prison first to confirm that they accept deliveries and to note any special regulations the prison might have. Some prisons don't allow delivery of hardcover books. Others place a limit on the number of items contained in a package.

We're unable to affix any special labels or instructions to the packages and on the outside will indicate only the destination address, our company name, and our return address. We also cannot allow gifts to be sent anonymously to inmates; the sender's billing address will appear on the order invoice.

Because inmates cannot sign for deliveries, packages must be sent via U.S. Mail. While Amazon.com often sends packages via U.S. Mail, we also use UPS and FedEx. There is no way for customers to request a specific shipper. To avoid delivery problems, you might consider having the items shipped to you and then shipping them to the penitentiary via U.S. Mail.

I understand that many countries depend on us silly military Americans to be their middle class, heck so to most of the cities in the States that you find these bases. However, as loyal patriots, we often like to support our own companies & that includes our own online companies. So why are there so many restrictions on online shopping? And why so many more here lately?

Believe it or not, as rumor has it, & backed up by the horses mouth, the Military Postal System is not here for us silly dependents & families. They offer us mail as a "cordial benefit"; as an extended service. Thus large packages, multiple packages, at home businesses, etc. are not to be shipped through them. (TOO BAD BOZOS! I have a baby on the way, I am getting multiple packages from the same place whether you like it or not!) And like a dentist told me, I "should not be wasting the taxpayers dollars to spoil myself" while living abroad. HA! Really? Spoiling? That is what my online shopping is? It is spoiling myself now?

Funny! I thought that MY online shopping was me trying to get the best product for my husband's very hard earned dollar...like most any other American. And last I checked, those "wasted" tax dollars aren't me using the military postal service with paid shipping & handling, but are being ate up in the Capitol for stupid government programs...that aren't military!!!

No matter what branch of service these men & women serve, as well as their families who support them & make just as many sacrifices, these are the individuals that should be able to receive ANYTHING online! They have all earned it!

P.S. Did you read all the shipping policies...Prisoners can get Amazon shipments WITHOUT ANY restrictions other than it has to go through the US Postal service.

Nice huh? Prisoners have more rights than those who serve this country! Amazing!!

Combi Hero Highchair - Chili

So we bought this highchair with a medium star review. It was just released on the market back in March/April when we purchased it before our big move to Japan. We were really excited. Then we finally got here & got it all assembled...which was easier than we made it out to be. (Amazing what reading or even looking at the pictures in the directions can do for you!)

The base of this high chair is just not sturdy at all. Even with the wheels looked into place. You can easily shake it silly with no child in it. Too silly for my comfort. You would never leave a child unstrapped in this highchair, nor would you position it in any place in which the child could easily reach something & pull themselves over...because they could.

Thankfully, we bought this highchair for the chair portion. So the legs are not of any concern. Removing the chair from the legs is a breeze (with no child in it that is). It is very secure & strapped easily to our custom made dinning room bar height chairs. We knew that no high chair would be fully high enough for our table, so this option was a great trendy way to go.

However, it will not be easily to tote around to a restaurant or something like that.

Toys R Us

The Combi Hero Highchair and Booster Seat Combination offers 5 different height positions, 3 position reclining seat, 5-point harness with belly pad, easy to fold self-standing frame, oval tube design for sleek appearance, color coordinating accent pieces, combi mug and towel, towel hook on rear ha...

Combi Hero Highchair - Chili

Questionable

XPAXK US Naval Base, Japan 8/4/2009

2 5

Pros: Easy To Assemble, Stylish, Easy to Clean, Portable, Lightweight, Easily Stowed

Cons: Not sturdy, Not stable

Best Uses: At Home

Describe Yourself: First Time Parent, Child Care Professional

We have yet to have our baby, but got this highchair before we made our move. Then when we saw it in the NEX we thought it had to be pretty decent. So upon our nesting stage, we unpacked & assembled our new fun high chair. IT IS NOT STURDY! Before we even put a baby in it, we can shake it & it has A LOT of give in it. Thankfully, we bought this highchair for the chair part that is sturdy & secure on our own bar height chairs. We knew that a regular high chair would never be high enough, so we opted for the seat detachment option with this one. We would have probably spent our money more wisely on the Fisher Price Space Saver.

What Is This?

Upon moving into our new home, I had found this little guy shoved in the back of one of the 4 drawers the kitchen came with. I wasn't sure what he was, so I had temporarily shoved him in the closet until I could deal with it.

Do you know what this is? Take a stab at it! One guess? Okay, one more...there was a sponge in the package originally. Well...not really a sponge but more like...

A Japanese version of the Mr. Clean Eraser! White like ours, but thicker. When I went to clean the spots off the walls from the movers dirty hands & such, I thought I would try this thing out first before using my own Mr. Clean Eraser from the base NEX.

It works! It works just as good as Mr. Clean himself! I bought a stash of Mr. Clean, but I will be keeping an eye for this little guy. And don't be surprise if yo get him in your "care package" from us! LOL!

Why Whole Food Supplements?

Some of you may have heard of "whole food supplements" but most of you are sitting here reading thing & scratching your heads. "WTFreak?"

For years I have had to skip over the intake of vitamins because all they did was make me have this awful pain in my spine like they got stuck, or even worse, I would puke them right back up after 30 minutes to an hour.

Oh I tried all the different methods & varieties too. Outside of Vitamin C or other individual supplements, there was no way I was getting anything down this hatch.

Then one day my Chiropractor asked me if I had ever tried Standard Process supplements. I said no, until I saw the bottles & then was like, "OH yeah! One of my other chiropractors had be on some of these kinds of supplements after my torn iliotibial band injury." Then I never thought anymore of it.

I was having a sudden crash in my health. It was one thing that was leading to another & before long it was like one day I woke up old! "What Happened?" I have always been pretty healthy in my adult life...what was going on?!!! Yes, of course stress. But my body wasn't handling stress anymore. It was crashing...fast.

So the practitioner sent me home with a survey to fill out & then it was ran through a system & surveyed my ailments & concerns. The program was laid out & off I was with a multiple bottle load of various supplements, in which some I had never heard of, such as Catalyn. It looked like a lot of "pills" & I don't take "pills". And I had to takes 6 a day of some of them!!!!

This wasn't really the most amusing program of health to get from a holistic doctor like a chiropractor. I thought I had made a wrong decision somewhere, but I then again, I was willing to trust him more than a real MD any day, who doesn't solve problems but only masks them by suppressing your systems until you body does it's own healing. So...

1 year on this program & pregnant even, I can't sing enough praises of these Whole Food Supplements! I have not only found myself & my life again, but I have seen reverse changes in my body when I am taking these regularly. And the nice thing is that since I've been pregnant I can pick & choose which supplements I really need. Like I have no added iron to my diet simply because I didn't need it & it was making me sick. A simple one tablet prenatal vitamin off the shelf would never allow me this freedom.

The other many great things about whole food supplements is that they are not only separated out by dietary need, but they are also minimally processed & made with no additives. NOPE! They are made completely from food, no chemicals. And the food that is used with Standard Process is all organic! It is raised just for the making of these supplements. They even throw in bone marrow! A rich source of all kinds of vitamins & minerals that our bodies need that we don't get in our diets due to our "civilized" ways.

Because they are whole foods, made from real food, only of food, your body can digest these supplements with no irritation, upset stomach, etc. You know exactly what you are ingesting! Food! How can that be bad?

Why haven't these caught on across the mainstream market? Please! Do I really need to hold your hand & spell it out for you? It would kill many pharmaceutical companies & doctors. Plus, though holistic means of health are on a rise, these type of practitioners aren't really the mainstream just yet. So since they are only available through Chiropractors & various other holistic practitioners & stores, they costs a little more than that one tablet option at Wal-Mart or Walgreens.

Whole Food Supplements are only for those who are extremely serious about taking control of their own health & be responsible for their own health. It is not meant for those who need a "fix". If you are like me, & just can't go to the "doctor" for anything, then you might find these supplements life altering in a way that will supersede anything you have every tried.

Go to Standard Process & enter your zip code to find someone near you that sells these whole food supplements. If you are military, there are practitioners back in the states that will send them to you. That is how we work the system!

It's a Win Win Situation

I am not sure why more people haven't heard of this product, but it is one of the best on the market! It does what it says it will do & sold mostly as big name sporting goods stores. However, you can find it online in bulk which is great! (Especially for us overseas people who can't always live without our American luxuries...)

"EVERY MILITARY UNIFORM WEARING & SPORTS PLAYING INDIVIDUAL SHOULD BE USING WIN LAUNDRY DETERGENT!"

WIN Laundry Detergent was something that I read about in a magazine somewhere along the way over the years. I looked for it high & low never finding it on common shopping shelves. Then one day I found it at Dick's Sporting Goods. I got a bottle. I thought, "HOLY CRAP! They sure are proud of this stuff! $20 for a little bottle! This had better work!"

It does! It took out all kinds of sweat stains in B's white T-shirts, and the odors of his uniforms for work. Now I can't stop using it. It last me a while since I only use it on select items & not everything, so the money was worth the product. When I have something really smelly or really dingy I just add a little cap of this & "POOF" magic happens in the wash!

Personally, I am in shock that the US Military isn't shipping this in by truck loads for their men & women in uniform. I know that on the naval ships they sure could use something like WIN to knock out their funk!

Check it out: http://www.windetergent.com/our_tech.html

Dear Victoria's Secret

Dear Victoria's Secret -

I am very curious as to why you do not have a maternity/nursing line in your collections. I understand that you specialize in women, sexy women & their underwear, but does pregnancy eliminate you from that VS circle?

My VS bras are the love of my life. They offer so much support in all the right places at all the right times. Now that I am pregnant & a soon-to-be new mom, that support has to leave because your don't offer a line for hooters like mine & the journey that they are about to endure.

There is not an adequate maternity/nursing bra on the market for heavier chested ladies like me. Those that claim wonderful support let you down mid-day & are bulky. I feel like I am wearing a very cheap, overpriced, upper body armor. If I wanted to wear a sports bra I would have purchased one. I want to feel sexy too! And through these summer months, less would be better.

Can you please, for the sanity of women around the globe, start a maternity/nursing line? It would do a lot of hooters a lot of good!

Thanks! Can't wait to see your newest collection!

Amy Lee

It Needs A Stronger Warning!

So, I emailed & asked Dyson how to clean my Dyson Animal Ball vacuum. The holes were getting clogged & the suction seemed to be diminishing. Yes, I clean the cleaning tool. Yes, I clean my vacuum. For the price of these things though, they should self-clean! However, I get an email back:

Hello,

Thank you for your question. You are able to do some cleaning to the clear bin and the cyclone. You can remove the clear bin from the cyclone piece and with a damp cloth wipe the inside of the clear bin down. The cyclone piece you can take an air compressor (if available) or a can of the compressed air that they sell for cleaning key boards and spray out all of the little holes on the outside and inside the cyclones. Please make sure that you do this in a well ventilated area as there will be a lot of fine dust that will come out of the cyclone piece. If you have any questions about cleaning these pieces please call our help line at 1-866-MY-DYSON. The Dyson helpline is open Monday through Friday from 8am to 8pm Central time. We are open weekends also Saturday from 9am to 3pm and Sunday from 10am to 2pm Central time.

Kind Regards,

However, this email should have came with a much bigger & stronger warning than that I need to be in a well ventilated area. Thank God I was outside when I did this project. Clouds of dust came pouring out with each spray from that compressed air! Clouds. As in you can't see through them! Dust particles came out in chunks! I needed a mask & some goggles! That is what they should have said! They also have added..."Beware. The canister is prone to coming off the cyclone when the top filter is out & open & the bottom is open!" I panicked thinking I broke the thing. Reassembly can be tricky, but I am just happy that they hard plastic canister didn't break on the concrete when it fell off.

I am so happy to have my Dyson back! It sucks so good!

The Love of My Life!

Ok Ladies! So as you know, I occasionally get into reviewing new products that I try. This might not be new, but it was new to me.

For years I had tried various razors, creams, & gels in lost hopes to get those wonderful shinny hairless legs. Since I was a little girl, I have been plagued with big pores, black hair, & dry skin. So even my shaved legs looked like ...well, not shaved.

I eventually gave up to using a disposable razor without the aloe or various other strips. Because with the strips I never felt like I got that close shave. I have used oils even to try to get the "shine". Then within the day, it was like I never shaved at all, goosebumps or not.

So here I am 21 years later & decided to try a new razor. I had read that this was the razor to get for those super model shiny legs. I didn't want to spend the money because I assumed it had to be expensive with all the freaking refills. Then my hubby was buying the Titatium one for himself to try, so I broke down & thought, "If he can waste money & 'try" then so can I!"

OMG! I have been wasting all these years! I love this razor! It has been dropped a number of times, made it through more than a few full shaves, & never dulled once or gave me razor burn! Also, it cuts close! And the strips don't get all gunky like those others. Even my hubby beats his on the side of the sink a million times every morning & isn't using as many blades as his was with his Gillet. (P.S. By the way...he loves his too!)

After just about 3 weeks of using this razor, not only does this razor give me a great shave, but it has also given me softer legs, smaller pores, & my hair doesn't seem to grow back as fast...& I'm pregnant! (Hair grows like grass that gets rain every day in the spring when you are pregnant but with this razor I am not feeling all bushy & in need of a weed-wacker.)

This is another one of my many great product recommendations! I don't even have to use a cream or gel. As long as I exfoliate well before, I can use my cream-oil body wash & get the best shave ever!

P.S. Did I mentioned that these refill blades are actually cheaper than some of the other razors on the market & that because the don't seem to dull easily you will use less of them...making it money well spent on a budget? Totally worth it!

L'Oreal has finally made my scalp happy! With this new line of shampoos & conditioners that are sulfate & salt free I finally loose the scratchy flaky scalp factor!

I have suffered my whole life with extremely dry scalp. Not dandruff, but dry, flaky, scratchy, itchy, scalp that would ruin any dark colored outfit & usually got me send home from school. With dark hair, I just attract the sun to cause more damage. Then throw in a thyroid issue & I lost that beautiful sheen as it all started falling out.

NOPE! I don't color my hair, or use any hair products outside cleaning it. However, this color treated haircare line is perfect for some one like me...like you!

I have tried all the professional products only available at salons, the tea tree treatments & shampoos, the all natural, homeopathic remedies, etc. I have even tried other sulfate free shampoos (& good luck on finding many of those on the main market.) So naturally I was reluctant to purchase this new line but thought what else do I have to lose at this point outside more hair! So I picked it up from that Walgreens aisle & made it through the check out with disbelieve that this one would be any different.

I fell in love the first use. Then woke up thinking it was the intoxicating aromas that had altered my thinking. Then after 2 months now of use...I am still in love. I have the sheen back! I have the bounce back! I have NO itch, minimal flaking, & I stopped loosing so much of my hair. And to make it even better, my highlights have started to shine again while the white strand here & there is soft like the rest of my hair.

THERE IS NO BETTER PRODUCT ON THE MARKET! I promise you! The $6-$8 you pay per tube will be worth your confidence in gold! Thank you L'Oreal!