Products & Places

Crashed!

2009-09-30T18:49:00.003-05:00

We had a terminal server crash a while back, and lost all of our great reviews in progress and product photos!

Unable to retrieve them, we have been dead in the water here at Products & places while we try to rebuild it all from the bottom up.

We appreciate your patience while we work on putting it all back together.

OFF!

2009-05-10T03:35:00.000-05:00

OFF! Skintastic Family care Smooth & Dry and the OFF! Powerpad Lamp are our newest products up for review. The Smooth & Dry is all sorts of DEETful, so of course I didn't try it. This new type is supposed to be all soft and not feel gross on your skin like "those other bug repellants". I wouldn't know, 'cause I'm against toxic chemicals on and around my family, and I refuse to even try it. A friend of mine tried it, and just fell in love, however, and took it with her family camping several times.

I had never heard of the main ingredient in the OFF! Powerpad Lamp; "d-cis trans allethrin", so I looked it up. Needless to say, this chemical is also horribly toxic, and I won't allow that around my family either. Off is right, off it goes to it's new home!

My friend also tried the Power Pad Lamp, and really liked it's effectiveness, but not the prevading scent. The basic conclusion is that it is fine for regular outdoor play, but not so much for dinner parties, as the smell could interfere with the smell and taste of the food.

As far as the chemicals go, This web site says it short and sweet;

"D-cis/trans allethrin: eye and skin irritant. Can cause sudden swelling of face, eyelids, lips, mouth , and throat tissues, as well as hay fever-like symptoms. Neurotoxic. Used in some pet flea-control products.

Deet: Eye and skin irritant. Sensitizer Neurotoxic. Readily absorbed into skin. Used in mosquito and insect repellents, as well as pet flea-control products."

Fabulous Freebies

2009-02-11T13:49:00.004-06:00

Crest Whitestrips has a new product they want you to try for free, that they say allows you be more active while whitening.

Prilosec is offering a free sample as well, so if you have heartburn, it's worth a try.

Try the newest flavored instant drink mix on the market. This one, by Benefiber, is the newest in a long line of enriched travel packets for mixing with your bottled water, for health on the go.

Not to be left behind, the newest product from Metamucil, is a spoonable flavored fiber drink mix, and they're giving some away as well.

Always wants you to try their newest version of bladder protection, the Infinity.

The folks over at Nicoderm CQ are eager to send you a nonmedicated sample of teit patch for free so you can see if you like the size and ease of use before you buy.

6

Senseo

2008-12-02T10:23:00.000-06:00

I have been loosing myself in cup after cup of delicious, frothy goodness for the past two years, all because I own a Senseo coffee maker.

The Senseo is, above all, a gourmet coffee machine that saves you money and time. Making 1-2 cups of creamy, frothy coffee in less than a minute, and starting at as little as $30 (with a coupon), it is one of the most frugal deals in fine home beverage creation. I literally have not had a better cup of plain, simple coffee, even at a gourmet coffee house.

It also has two different size inserts available for your machine so that you can adjust the strength of your brew by varying the number of pods you use. The buttons have pictures instead of words under them, and the process is so simple that even a child could use it. We also like to use it to heat water for hot cocoa, hot vanilla, and spiced cider.

Heating the water only when needed, only in the amount needed, and turning itself off automatically saves electricity too.

I was truly amazed by how easy it is to clean! All of the removable parts are dishwasher safe, and the silver drain cover comes off to reveal a reservoir for spilled coffee that can be easily removed and dumped without having to drag the whole machine across the kitchen or office. The outside of the machine can easily be wiped down with a damp rag.

There were some things I didn’t like about the Senseo, don’t get me wrong. The default reservoir is bit too small for my liking, holding only 4-6 cups worth of water. When the button says one cup, it means one cup, the measurement. I have to push the button for two cups under it to fill my huge mug of morning coffee.

After a year or so of use, the printing on the machine started to come off, making the coffee-creation process require verbal instruction for folks who have never seen one before.

I'm frugal to a fault, so when I saw that you had to buy specially made pods for the Senseo, I decided there had to be another way. I must have frothy tea too, I reasoned, I don’t want to pay that much for coffee when I can’t have my own custom blend, and I want my own preferred gourmet coffee to be brewed this nicely. I needed to create a reusable brewing pod for my machine!

Luckily, I wasn't alone in my idea. On a trip to the dreaded big box store, I found the Presto Mypod, a holder for your coffee that fits into your Senseo machine! Unable to resist, I bought it as well as the 100 pack of Mypod filters . It's a great adapter, low priced, and super-easy to clean like the rest of the Senseo, but I missed my 1/4" of froth at the top of my beverage. It is great for non-frothy things like simple teas, but it doesn’t have the “frothing chamber” that the Senseo brand parts have, so I renewed my search.

I found the coveted large water tank for making more gourmet coffee with less trips to the sink (a must for entertaining), the Quick Cup refillable pseudo-pod that replaces the premade pods for the machine, and the Ecopad . The Ecopad is what I was really looking for. The idea that started the search in the first place. It is refillable, easy to clean, and replaces the Senseo pods seamlessly, allowing the full joy of the Senseo to shine through, froth and all.

I eventually expanded my search for the perfect, inexpensive cup of coffee, and discovered a milk frother and a travel version of a frother that could be handily carried in a purse or travel bag. Add in some heavy cream, natural cane sugar, and a flavor shot, and we’re getting into some seriously high-end coffee enjoyment that I suspect would rival even the most decadent coffeehouse treat.

They make a great gift for yourself, your best friend, local community center, or even your boss, so buy the Senseo with gift pack that comes with extra gourmet coffee pods, a thermal travel mug, and other goodies today, and save stress and time this holiday season.

I know I sound a bit gushy here, but this machine just keeps getting better all the time. Example: melting rich dark chocolate into your coffee while it brews for a rich dark mocha...

Starting with amazing on first sight was pretty hard to beat, but the people at Senseo know what they are doing. The introduction of new gourmet flavored coffee pods on a regular basis, tea pods, and more, have made owning the Senseo an experience worth bragging about.

Fabulous Freebies

2008-11-30T10:46:00.003-06:00

Free Sample Book
Featuring HTCW's Top Quality Interfacing and Embroidery Stabilizers

"Explore Your Community", a full color, 22x34", poster free from the American Folklife Center

Free Obama Sticker "Yes We Did".

Dove Hair Therapy sample.

Sign-up for their free Newsletter and receive a free eBook, "The Devil's Rescue" and three posters with fully restored, original art from the Golden Age of Pulp Fiction!

Holiday card samples

Create your very own personalized "money" for free and download the image to your computer. Great for kid rewards and incentives, as well as party favors.

Free Little Scholastic book email offer.

Sample Of Red Man Premium Moist Tobacco Snuff 21+ Only.

Hippopost Free Real Postcards in the mail

Review & Giveaway: Listerine White Strips

2008-11-28T09:28:00.001-06:00

Our whole experience with the Listerine White Strips can be summed up with an old-time mockery of a toothpaste jingle.

In my mother's time, there was a toothpaste called Pepsodent, that was supposed to whiten your smile remarkably better than any of the others on the market, or so the commercials stated, but popular opinion was a different matter, at least among the smart alek teenagers of the time, so the jingle commonly ended in a second verse not heard on the commercials.

"You'll wonder where the yellow went, when you brush your teeth with Pepsodent" was the jingle, and the teens of the day added the second verse; "You'll wish you had the yellow back, when you find your teeth are turning black.".

Of course Pepsodent doesn't turn your teeth black, but that's another matter entirely. We're here to talk about these whitening strips.

The Listerine whitening strips are supposed to fully dissolve in your mouth, abolishing any need for a rinsing or a brushing after the whitening is complete, making it easy to whiten on the go, but that's not what we found when we tried them. The dissolved all right, into a frothing mass of annoyance that made me constantly want to spit. Not so good for being in public and seeming like a lady of any quality, so the whitening must be done at home. Also, it leaves a film on your teeth that not only cannot be rinsed off, but must be brushed off with a toothbrush.

They are supposed to leave a fresh minty flavor in your mouth. If overpowering is what you call fresh and refreshing, then they're right.

It works great for whitening. Let me tell you, the Listerine whitening strips showed a significant difference in the whiteness of my family's smiles within 2 uses! Amazing, yes, fabulously effective, no doubt, behaves as advertised, of course!

There's just one teeny problem; the fact that it eats away at the enamel around your gums, creating yellowish pockmarks that require a lot of expensive dental work to correct.

Not exactly an effect you want to pay money to achieve, now is it?

For the giveaway; I wouldn't dare to inflict these whitening strips and the subsequent tooth enamel erosion on anyone, so I'm giving away a tube of Pepsodent! The first three people to comment will win a tube of Pepsodent! Contest ends this coming Wednesday, so get to commenting!

Fabulous Freebies

2008-11-26T10:10:00.000-06:00

Free sample of Head & Shoulders dry scalp care or smooth & silky.

Airborne Zesty Orange sample.

AlsoSalt non-metallic salt substitute. With S.A.S.E.

Cheese Variety Guide poster.

Receive a FREE sample of Olbas Sugar-Free Black Currant Lozenges when you join their product tester panel.

Free, non-medicated sample of NicoDerm CQ patch with SmartControl. A great way to see if you like how they feel, and to make sure you aren't allergic to the adhesive.

FREE boomerang!

Free Sample Of Lights Out natural sleep aide.

Free Buffalo Soldiers Commemorative Poster.

ACTIV-FLEX™ Lightweight Cohesive Sports Tape

J.K. Rowling's New Potterverse Book Coming Soon!

2008-11-23T16:14:00.000-06:00

"The Tales of Beedle the Bard" by J.K. Rowling is set for release on December 4th this year, and it's now available for pre-order!

A book of fairy tales, which was written to supplement the Harry Potter series comes in two distinct versions for your reading pleasure. Buy the standard version for the kids, and for daily reading, and get the special collector's edition for your own personal collection.

The Standard Edition features all five fairy tales from the original The Tales of Beedle the Bard, a new introduction by J.K. Rowling, illustrations reproduced from the original handcrafted book, and commentary on each of the tales by Professor Albus Dumbledore.

The exclusive Collector's Edition includes a reproduction of J.K. Rowling's handwritten introduction, as well as 10 additional illustrations not found in the Standard Edition.

Remember, collector's editions are an investment in the future, and look fabulous on the shelf.

I'm so excited to see her publishing another book in the Harry Potter universe, aren't you?

Fabulous Freebies

2008-11-21T05:22:00.003-06:00

Free dog tag from Sobe-Dog. Keep your dog safe worldwide. Helping people reunite with lost pets.

Chocolate-covered pomegranate seeds for free from a pomegranate liquor company. Sounds delightful, I can't wait!

Deck of Magic Cards for free!

2009 calendar full of pictures of cheap Chinese toys from Oriental Trading C0mpany.

Free funky ashtray.

Free Mivodesign cutting knife, a box-cutter-type knife. Offer is limited to two per household.

Go red for women pin, free.

Free Ziploc goodies, plus coupons for Ziploc®, Glade®, Pledge® and Drano® products to the first 20,000 responders, hurry!

Free Breath-A-Licious breath freshening dog chew bone.

Educational comic books from the federal reserve.

Giveaway Results: Pledge Multi-Surface Wipes

2008-10-08T01:02:00.003-05:00

Since nobody seemed to want the sample packets of Pledge multi-surface wipes enough to comment for them, I picked a friend who showed an interest in them offline, and gave them to her instead.

Congrats to Andi!

Another giveaway is coming soon, better than the last, so keep your eyes peeled.

Fabulous Freebies

2008-10-02T18:14:00.001-05:00

Free sample of candy from Mommy made candy.

Free sample packs of Al's Pistachios. Note: form has troubles with Firefox browsers.

Free Sundance Organic Tea

Free coffee from Seattle's Best Coffee

Another Free sample of Pledge Multi-surface wipes, this time from Walmart.

Free bottle of Purple life superdrink.

free caffeine free herbal coffee from Teccino wit registration.

Coupon by mail for a free bottle of Country Bob's original All Purpose Sauce with newsletter sign up.

Free sample of your own custom-blended tea from Design a Tea. Design your own teas from leaf type to flavor blends! $1 shipping charge does apply, but the two samples come with a $2 coupon off your next order.

Free buffet meal in the form of a Buy One Get One Free coupon, and coupons at Old Country Buffet and affiliate restaurants with free membership.

Review: Febreze Fabric, Carpet, & Air Refresher

2008-09-29T10:58:00.018-05:00

Recently, the folks at Febreze offered me the chance to try out their new fine mist fabric, carpet, & air refresher, and having seen the commercials, not to mention being a true and loyal fan of Febreze in general, I leapt at the opportunity.

I usually use the regular, unscented variety of Febreze, as it brings back great memories for me, and when my sample kit arrived, I was excited to open it up and try it out.

I don't like artificial scents and perfumes, so I was a bit disappointed to discover that Febreze had sent me their Lavender Vanilla & Comfort scented spray. I was apprehensive to say the least, and let the bottle sit for a few days before I tried it, fearing that the smell would be overpowering and cloying like other air fresheners, despite the trusted brand name. I not a big fan of lavender scented things in general either.

When I finally got the time and gumption to try it out (meaning we had no guests I could offend with any potentially strong odors), I gave it a spritz and waited a few seconds for the full scent to develop. Boy was I surprised!

The Lavender Vanilla & Comfort scent was surprisingly mild, leaving the entire room smelling clean and lightly scented; a very pleasant departure from other so-called air fresheners on the market. The addition of vanilla to the mix magically cut the usually overly-sweet tones of lavender that I do not enjoy, transforming what I thought would be a horrid perfumed tangle of odor into something my whole family enjoys.

As I have come to expect from Febreze products, this new spray refreshed the house of even the worst smoking, kitchen and bathroom odors effortlessly. In the air, the spray still fell rapidly, but not any differently than any other supposedly fine-misted pump spray air freshener. In actuality, I wouldn't really call the spray fine, so much as I would no longer call it large droplets, as I have seen finer sprays created for household deodorizing. However, the spray particles are smaller, stay in the air a moment of two longer, and it does have a better dispersal range overall than Febreze original, and other household sprays.

On fabrics, the spray did an even better job than Febreze original, as the broader spray and finer particles did not leave wet speckles on the upholstery, nor weigh down my sheer curtains. Even sprayed on walls, (painted & paneled walls retain odors too), the spray did not run or drip when sprayed from a reasonable distance.

The new Febreze is available the following scents:

MEADOWS & RAIN™
LINEN AND SKY™
LAVENDER VANILLA & COMFORT™
CITRUS & LIGHT™
SPRING & RENEWAL™

Febreze also has a new design of bottles for certain scents. Amazingly classy looking, and perfect for open display, the Décor Collection is pretty enough to be an accent piece in your kitchen, bathroom, or anywhere! No longer do you have to hide your Febreze where company won't see it. The Décor Collection is currently available in these scents:

MEADOWS & RAIN™
LINEN AND SKY™
LAVENDER VANILLA & COMFORT™
SPRING & RENEWAL™

I plan on buying a bottle or two and refilling them incessantly, as we usually keep a bottle of Febreze in every room of the house for convenience sake, and have a bit of trouble finding a place to put it where it is relatively out of view of guests. Now we won't have to worry about looking like we have cleaning supplies everywhere constantly.

All in all, I have to say that at close to $4.50 , the price is just as economical as original Febreze, making it an astonishing value, as the dual purpose nature of the finer-mist spray means you will never have to buy more than one product to freshen the home again. It also saves valuable storage space throughout your home. Of course, if you are like me, and plan to buy the more decorative bottles, you won't have to store anything in your cabinets at all, freeing up room for other things.

Useful tip: To spread the droplets farther in a room, thus achieving maximum deodorizing and freshening effect, spray it high into the air, then blow on the tiny droplets as they fall, pushing them about the room for a broader coverage area.

Here is a free Coupon pack from Procter and Gamble, which includes coupons for the new, improved, finer-mist Febreze for fabric, carpets, and air.

For the worst odors, try the Febreze Eliminators; heavy-duty products for the strongest and most stubborn smells, such as those ground in pet smells, the baked-in ones found in your automobile, & general household odors. Febreze also has a deep penetrating antimicrobial formula that's great for cleaning up odors in trash cans and other high-germ areas.

Fabulous Freebies

2008-09-27T16:55:00.003-05:00

Natural Solutions natural health samples, coupons, & product information from many of the leading companies in natural health care.

Free Sample of Airborne and a good giggle to boot. Hint: Watch the video!

And on October 4, Home Depot Kids has a free craft day for your kids. Make a whistle fire truck between 9 am & noon.

Free pasta sauce from Bertoli.

Free sample of Warm Delights dessert from Betty Crocker with newsletter signup.

Coupon for a free full-sized sample of Ensure Nutritional drink. Have it mailed to you in case your local store doesn't accept internet coupons.

Free Senseo coffee pods coupon in the mail when you complete the Senseo survey.

Free Pringles

Free Sample Rinaldi extravirgin olive oil for businesses.

Free 13 Ounce Vacuum Bag of Maxwell House® Arabica Gourmet Coffee.

Free coupons by mail for Minute Maid juices and frozen novelties.

Free samples of coffee and/or tea from Batian Peak Coffee with newsletter signup.

Review & Giveaway: Pledge Multi-Surface Cleaning Wipes

2008-09-24T16:20:00.002-05:00

Let's talk automotive windows and surface cleaning.

I've tried sprays to clean the inside of the car before. The dashboard, door handles, and most of the windows work just fine with a regular spray cleaner on normal, everyday jobs, but not the inside of the front and back windshields, or the steering wheel. Nope, sprays just sort of drip onto the upholstry, possibly discoloring the interrior in a horrid speckled pattern if you aren't really careful, and/or if you don't wash it off immediately. The extra care needed to do this just right isn't something many of us have the time for these days.

The folks at Bzzagent sent me some Pledge multi-surface wipes to try, and they work great on those spots that regular sprays are a pain to use, making the whole automotive cleaning chore a lot quicker and easier. Not only that, but you can use them on all of the surfaces inside the car instead of needing a bunch of different cleansers, which saves a lot of time and storage space as well.

Marker marks from the kids on the dashboard, fingerprinty or tar-stained windows, grime on the door handles and armrests, and even the sensitive screens on the electronics in modern vehicles like your GPS, stereo, or portable DVD player can be cleaned beautifully and easily with these wipes, without any extra polishing needed to get that ever-elusive streak-free clean.

For smokers, cleaning the inside of the windshields of the car is even more of a pain. The tar from the smoke forms a film on the inside of the window that makes it harder (and more time consuming) to get condensation and fog off of in incliment weather. The average window cleaner does not work for tarry windows, and requires that you repeat the washing action at least two times to get even a passable clean, but with the Pledge multi-surface wipes, a quick once-over is all you need for perfect clarity. That's because it isn't made just for windows, but for everything, which gives it the extra cleaning power needed for tough stuff like tobacco tar, soot, and grease. No matter what you do, from car repair to smoking, having a few packets of wipes in the glove compartment can really save the day.

Pledge Multi-Surface Cleaning Wipes work great on metal, wood, plastics, glass, and sensitive electronics*.

The wipes are ideal for the inside the car, since sprays are so awkward, but in most other applications, the disposable wipes are rather wasteful because of the excess packaging, so if there's no worry about dripping or overspray, I'd still suggest you stick with the Pledge multi-surface spray and a washcloth or cleaning rag, as it puts less waste into our landfills, and conserves resources.

Giveaway Surprise: Everyone who comments gets an entry in a giveaway to get one of three sample packets of Pledge multi-surface wipes to try in their own home. Even if you don't like the idea of disposable wipes, you'll still get a good idea of how effective the spray is, as it is the same cleanser, just in different application formats. Contest ends Friday, October 3rd.

Win an Amazon.com Gift Card! BuzzAgent wants to see how far the conversation goes, and they need your help. Visit ChatThreads.com and enter the conversation ID# 101 754 2729 to tell them about what I've said here and what you thought of it and enter to win up to $500 in Amazon.com Gift Certificate or learn how you can have ChatThreads donate up to $5 to charity. If you talk to anyone else about the Pledge wipes, give them the URL and number too so they can have a chance to win as well.

* Do not use on leather or marble.

Fabulous Freebies

2008-09-22T05:19:00.001-05:00

60 FREE prints from PEphoto The coupon code is FE4625PS. Valid Through 12/31/2008

Five Free Postage Paid Envelopes from FreeMailPost.

Printable Checklists 100's of designs, styles, and list types to choose from.

Free Laminated Wallet Card Those Suffering From Addiction Serenity Prayer, One Day at a Time, Or 3rd Step Prayer ( Email Request)

Free Photoshop Express Adobe Photoshop's brand new free online version.

Free SHARPS Container Fill in the form to order a free sharps container and kit.

Free "You've been reported" Post-its from Handicapped Fraud (needs SASE)

Free Keyring Pillbox From Crestor

Free Bookmarks, Stickers And $1 Coin Collector Board From The U.S. Mint

Free U.S. Highway Map from The National Scenic Byways Program.

Free Tax Wall Calendar for Small Businesses And Self-Employed From The IRS up to 5 copies.

Free custom made Disney Park Maps for your family, with lots of neat goodies.

Free Charmin "Extender" Offer is limited to two per household.

Free batteries every year for your Bayer Glucose Meter

Free Instant Garage Sale Kit with Colorful label template, sign templates, and sales record keeping template.

Freebies From TNT Fireworks Poster, Sticker, Magnet, & Tattoos.

Free 15 Piece Tool Kit When you request an RV related quote from GMAC Insurance.

Free Voicemail You get a free voicebox/phone number. You can set the greeting to whatever you want and all messages either get forwarded to your email address, or you can check them on the website.

Review: Pledge Multi-Surface Cleaning Spray

2008-09-20T16:21:00.003-05:00

Cleaning all of the windows and surfaces around the house usually requires an armada of cleaning supplies in a bucket, dragged from room to room, several different tools, and a lot of time, but no longer!

Pledge has just come out with a single product that does all of your household surfaces, and does them amazingly well, and thanks to the folks over at Bzzagent, I was able to get some to try out so I could let you know if it's worth spending money on.

Pledge Multi-Surface Clean & Dust is just great. Like all of the other cleaning products we test, we waited until things were good and nasty before trying it. The computer desk hadn't been wiped down in a week, the computer and television screens were covered with finger smudges and dust, the walls and doorknobs were grimy with scattered finger prints, the kitchen table had just undergone a cooking lesson with the kids, and one of the walls had been markered on by a friend's toddler during impromptu art play.

With very little effort, and a single washcloth, we were able to wipe all the electronics screens in the house to a beautiful streak-free shine, and using our first, plus another washcloth, finished the storm windows. We all know how filthy those storm windows can get, right? I never knew we could get that much light into the living room! There was no extra polishing needed to acheive true streaklessness like you usually have to do with other cleaners.

A new washcloth was used on the walls, and the washable marker, fingerprints, and even a rust spot that we hadn't been able to remove for a month came off with ease. Someone had spilled some coffee on the desk and cigarette ashes had made their way into the sticky spot, but one spritz of Pledge multi-surface and three seconds later it wiped clean easily, and cleaned the rest of the desk too.

The same happened with the food particles left on the kitchen table. We had decided to wait a couple of hours to clean it instead of wiping it up immediately like we usually do to see if we could make a harder job for the spray, but it didn't work out as we'd planned. Even dried tomato juice with seeds came up easily after a sprits and a three-second set (the shortest amount of time we would ever do for something dried-on)

Don't get me wrong, it smells like a cleanser, and it's no different in scent strength than 409, Fantastic, or any of the other cleansers meant for windows, surfaces, or whatever, but it's nice to only have one smell instead of a bunch of conflicting ones throughout the house on cleaning day.

One of my friends had a mild allergic reaction to this spray as we were cleaning house with it while she was visiting, so if you have allergies, be sure to check the label before you buy.

Fabulous Freebies

2008-09-19T03:09:00.000-05:00

Free Unistick 3 mini painless finger-pricker for diabetics.

Free correction pen from Ringtonica.

Free Stationery kit from St. Joseph's Indian School. Receive Native American-themed note cards, a convenient writing pad, Native American inspired address labels when you join their eClub and confirm your email address within five (5) days of registration.

Visit the My Heart Now site to get a free pedometer from Pfizer with the completion of a very short survey.

Free vegetarian handouts from FarmUSA. Many designs to choose from.

Free sample of new oil absorbing sheets from Clean & Clear!

Free set of 4, 1 gram heavyweight poker chips from Golden Palace casino.

Free 2009 Women's health wall calendar from the US department of health and human services.

Register and receive a free plush emoticon toy. Tell them which 'bittywink' and color you would like to receive when registering.

Informational Grandparenting book downloads especially formatted for grandparents raising their grandchildren from AARP.

Free feminine uber-protection gift pack for girls from Tampax and Always.

Get a "Read my lipstick: I'm voting Democrat!" bumper sticker
for free.

Free clear waterproof roof repair stuff "Through the Roof" from Sashco.

Get a Free Pedometer and Free Exercise DVD for 2008 from Tylenol when you sign up. Enter your name on the front page, then click the button at the top right of the next page to complete sign up and get your free gifts.

Free subscription to Working Mother magazine when you brag about your favorite purse or bag.

One Free Oatmeal Dark Chocolate cookie from Kashi.

Free address labels from Paralyzed Veterans of America.

Free emergency radio from Protecting America.

New Features!

2008-09-17T05:59:00.000-05:00

I am proud to announce that Products & Places now has a simple and easy way for you to add an article or post to your favorite social bookmarking or socia networking site. Whether you use Facebook, Digg, StumbleUpon, MySpace, Furl, Multiply, or even lesser known sites like NewsVine, Spurl, and Link-A-GoGo, it's one click to share.

At the bottom of each post, every time, starting with this one.

Review: Ground Zero Night Club

2008-09-15T05:29:00.002-05:00

Ground Xero, Springfield's only gamer-friendly club, features non-stop EBM, Goth, Electronic, Synthpop, DarkWave, Metal, and Industrial music, and hosts regular live concerts from both local and internationally acclaimed performers and bands.

There's plenty of room to dance, and two lounge areas if you want a little seclusion. With plenty of tables and comfortable seating, you can play any tabletop game, from dice to card games and more, as it suits you, or have a go at a video game in the caged lounge. You are even welcome to bring your own gaming system and share the fun. Bring a set of darts, and play a few rounds with friends on their resident dart board, or bring in your laptop computer and surf the net with their free WiFi.

Offering four different juices, coffee, and several soda options, you can stay as long as you like and not let liquor touch your lips. If you want an alcoholic drink, Zac at the bar mixes the best Bloody Mary in town, and can whip up something to suit your tastes if you tell him what you are in the mood for, even if you don't know what it's called. One of the only places in town that offers Absinthe and other rare liquors, the drink prices are quite reasonable.

The decor is ideal; black with red accent fabric, muted lighting, and chains hanging from the ceiling for spice.

Everyone over 21 is welcome, and the owners of GX don't believe in prejudice, so no matter your lifestyle, gender, faith, race, status in life, or sexual preference, the folks at GX want you to drop in for a fun time. The average crowd includes hippies, goths, punks, freaks, geeks, and professionals, and there's always time for a little one on one chat with a new friend.

Some fabulous bands play at GX on a regular basis, and I've been privileged to be able to see several amazingly talented groups. New bands and those on tour are welcome to ask if they can preform at the club, but they are picky about who they let play, so applying bands had better be good.

Ground Xero is open from Wednesday to Sunday each week, from 7pm to 1:15am. They're also available for venue rental by appointment for private events like weddings, parties, and more on Mondays & Tuesdays, and all other days of the week if their schedule is clear on your preferred day. They fill up quickly, so be sure to book ahead to get your spot.

Current weekly events include Zero Lounge (downtempo music and hookas) on Wednesdays, Industrial Dance Machine on Thursdays (EBM & Industrial music), and World of Darkness gaming on Sundays (18 and up, no liquor). Fridays and Saturdays are the days when you are most likely to find a concert, and there are specialty events that can be found on their calendar regularly. Wednesdays & Thursdays are both lady's night, ladies get in free.

A little known night club on north-central Springfield, Ground Xero is the only locally-owned bar that started up with less than $75,000, but you wouldn't know it to look at the place.

You can find Ground Xero on Myspace at GXProductions and on Second Life via the link on their website. Find out who's performing this week by calling them at 417.865.1787.

[where: 1107 east commercial, Springfield, MO 65802] Map
* Photo used with permission. © GXProductions

Fabulous Freebies

2008-09-13T01:59:00.000-05:00

Free sample of one of
their all-natural Quaker Simple Harvest multi-grain chewy granola bars.

Free Sample of customized Fruit Rollup with newsletter sign up.

Two FREE Cookbooks: Gooseberry Patch Fall Favorites , & Family Favorite Recipes, bot featuring Sun-Maid® Raisins & Dried Fruit. Be sure to click the box for them to send you both cookbooks!

MK Signature Ultimate Mascara sample from Mary Kay.

Free sample of Arize.net male sexual enhancement product.

A sample of One Step and Straight-A brewery and wine-maker's natural, eco-friendly cleaners with small brewers survey.

A free set of guitar strings from La Bella Strings for the 18 and over set.

Free padlock from the hardware department of Sears, printable coupon in PDF format.

Free Betty Crocker instant potatoes when you sign up for their Dinner Made Easy email newsletter.

Free First Aide Kit from Greeneville Hospital.

And a special bonus for those of us with kids; Trick or Treat for UNICEF is giving out their treat boxes again this year. My kids have been doing this for over three years, and love helping other children worldwide to get health care and education and educating the public on Halloween night while they go from door to door begging for candy. It's really easy for us parents to send the money in too, as you can just drop all the money into the CoinStar machine at your local grocery store, and send it on it's way to Unicef! Just save your receipt to send to Unicef so your kids or group can be entered into the contest for prizes. *smile* We've already ordered our boxes for the local homeschool group.

Review: Scrubbing Bubbles Action Scrubber

2008-09-11T16:22:00.006-05:00

I think we've all tried SCJohnson's Scrubbing Bubbles products before, and while they do work about the same as most of the other cleansers available on the market, you still have to scrub your arm off to get rid of the really tough grime. Honestly, I've usually been able to get similar results with some baking soda, lemon juice, and a dash of good dish soap. When the folks over at BzzAgent asked me if I'd be willing to review the newest product in the family, the Scrubbing Bubbles Action Scrubber, I was a bit apprehensive.

The Scrubbing Bubbles Action Scrubber is a bright green foam handle with some Velcro, which you attach a scrubby pad to with a press & wiggle motion.

The trial kit I received from BzzAgent included one firm-yet-flexible, durable green foam handle, one reusable storage tub for the scrubbing pads, and four disposable cleaning pads. What I received is exactly what you can buy in the store, and refills are available, cutting down on packaging and landfill waste.

Would this be hard to clean with? Would I be sore after using it? Would it smell horribly chemical? Would it be safe for my enamel tub and vinyl shower surround? Would the pads fall off all the time? How many pads will I have to use to get my shower truly clean in the worst of messes? Are they reusable? Will it rinse clean and not leave any filmy residue? Will it leave a nice shine? Those questions and many more ran through my head, but I figured it would at least be worth a try, and I'm really glad I accepted their offer to try it out.

The short and sweet; it's a really great product, and almost does more than what it advertises. Definitely a good buy.

Now for the details.

You know I'm not one to test a new product without making it run the paces and testing it on the hardest jobs I have, so I waited three weeks without washing my tub or shower, so I could see how good these thin little scrubby pads would work on my family's worst messes. We haven't been able to get the shower truly clean since we move in in May, and heaven only knows how long it went without a true clean before we got the place, as it was covered with soap scum and hard water stains when we moved in. With less abrasion than my usual cleaning utensil and products, I assumed it would be a harder scrub just to do the job we'd been doing, and quite the workout to get the shower and tub truly clean like I was hoping for.

Not so! After getting the pad wet, we used a simple circular wiping maneuver with a little pressure, it formed a rich, non-gritty foam, and most of the grime was gone immediately. It was a quick once-over, and over half the job was done. But we had let it sit and accumulate, and you know that second layer, and all that hard water and soap scum was going to be harder to remove, right?

Not by much. Yes, the second go-over needed a little elbow grease, but not nearly what I'd been used to using. It was even able to get into the hard-to-reach spots. A little pressure on the tough spots, and we were done, soap scum and all, leaving a beautiful, freshly-installed look to the entire bath area. That's one scrubby pad!

My arms and back didn't hurt, my hands weren't cramped up like they usually are after the bathroom chores, and it took about 1/2 the time it usually does to finish the shower and bathtub.

A week later, we used the same pad again, and it still had enough soap on it to use it again with great results.

We've reused it again a third time, as it still smelled like it has some cleanser on it, and it easily managed a third go-round in the tub.

The pad stayed firmly attached throughout the cleaning process, and it was really handy to not have to have to juggle a separate cleaner bottle and dedicated bathroom scrubby for the job, so it saves on storage space too.

As for smell, it does smell like a bathroom cleaner, but it's not anywhere near as strong as anything you have to spray or squirt onto a pad or the shower surround, because there's no mist or residue floating around in the air, getting sucked into the ventilation system, and traveling into the kitchen or other areas of the house. The smell all but disappears as soon as you do the final rinse, leaving the entire bathroom smelling fresh and clean, but not overly chemical.

The biggest bonus to the Action Scrubber though? The kids enjoy using it when they get out of the shower, so that's one less chore for mom or dad to do!

Regular price is about $6.68 for the starter kit, and $4.17 for the refill pack of 6 extra cleaning pads.

Just for you: Save $2.75 on the scrubbing kit with this printable coupon.

Want to save money and have it delivered right to your door? Get a starter kit for only $4.99, or a refill pack for as little as $3.29 and save yourself the time and trouble of making a stop at the store!

Sampling Time

2008-09-02T04:29:00.004-05:00

Ultra Gain with baking soda scent card and coupons.

Greenies sample for dogs or cats.

Dove Energy Glow body wash sample (espanol).

Eucerin plus intensive foot repair cream sample.

Free Braille bug ladybug braille alphabet learning card for kids.

Playtex Sport sample.

Bounce Awakenings fabric softener tablets sample.

PostIt recycled sticky notes sample.

Always Infinity feminine protection sample.

Eucerin redness relief facial creme sample.

Simple Samples

2008-08-01T22:54:00.000-05:00

Kotex feminine protection sample.

Benefiber travel sticks sample, individual packets for the person on the go.

coupons for value off of Nature's Recipe dog & puppy food.

Dove Color Care shampoo & conditioner sample (espanol).

TheraCran cranberry supplement sample.

Purex liquid fabric softener sample.

Durex condom or lubrication coupons.

ZingiberRx Joint & Muscle cream sample.

Droolworthy Giveaway

2008-07-09T05:01:00.005-05:00

I said I'd have a giveaway a while back, but the box of freebie goodies I had set aside isn't ready to be fully unpacked yet, so I thought I'd give you someone else's contest to drool over.

Did I mention that this is one heck of a giveaway?!

Blondemomblog is giving away an Ultreo ultrasound toothbrush. This thing is a power toothbrush with ultrasound waveguide technology, and automatic power shutoff and timers built in, so you know when you've spent enough time brushing each section of your mouth, as well as when you are done with the whole shebang.

I wonder if my Soniccare can stand up to it, or if it cleans even better than our family's multi-headed, one-and-only, never-buy-anything-less, Soniccare.

She's doing a random drawing of the entries in her contest, and she wants you to come sign up too.

To enter, click here, and comment with what kind of toothbrush you use.

I can't wait to see if it does... I wonder if I can get the company to let me try one out to review here.

What's your favorite oral care device?

Random Samplings

2008-06-29T21:40:00.000-05:00

Cute Animal tickers Free.

Free greeting card from American Greetings.

Lapware - Fun and Educational Online Games and Software for Toddlers, Babies and Small ChildrenFree Downloads

Say it with Chocolate free sample for businesses and schools.

Trojan Condom

Craze 4 Mobilez offers Free Downloads of ringtones, wallpapers, games, and more for your mobile device.

Free sample of Corroseal Rust Converter and Copolymer Metal Primer.

Free sample of Zrii nutritional drink for people willing to give out their phone number.

Free movies from Public Domain Torrents. Old movies that are legal to download, copy, and keep.

Rhino 51 is an all-natural male and female personal performance enhancer developed to increase pleasure & endurance.

FREE Wella Blondor powder sample for salons.

More free phone goodies like ringtones and the like from Zedge.