Chapman's Sport Frozen Popsicles

I saw these popsicles at the grocery store recently and decided to take a closer look.

They say "Sport" on them, but they're basically just sugar, water, chemicals and flavouring.

Evidently the "Sport" and "Hydration" on them is an advertising gimmick designed to trick stupid people who don't look at the ingredients. Want hydration? Drink some water!

Booooooooooo! Shame on you Chapman's!

Mockingjay Part 1 Poster + review of Hercules starring Dwayne Johnson

Saw this movie poster further below recently when I went to see the new Hercules movie (starring Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson as Hercules) which was "good / okay", but nothing spectacular. I liked the fact that they made the Hercules story more realistic - no magic or gods whatsoever in the film - and how it played upon the myth vs reality theme.

BTW, watch the credits at the end of Hercules - totally worth it.

Anyway, back to the Mockingjay poster... Is it just me or does the Mockingjay look a bit like the Toronto Blue Jays' logo? True, they're both jays, but the similarities feel like they go beyond that. Copyright infringement, probably not. Especially when you look at the Blue Jays pumpkin further below.

Ever had your order messed up at the drive-thru?

Have you ever gone to the drive thru at a fast food restaurant and they mess up your order - possibly on purpose?

This happened to myself recently when we went to the Wendy's drive thru near Beaches Toronto.

We ordered a double cheesburger combo and a bacon burger combo.

And then the woman on the speaker goes "Do you want a small, medium or large combo?

To which we both went "Huh? What is a small, medium or large combo?"

And the woman refused to explain.

So we both said we wanted the regular combo.

And then the woman apparently punched in large for my cheeseburger.

So then I asked her to change it, because we could see the mistake on the drive-thru screen.

And the woman said okay, but the screen stayed the same.

So when we get up to pay and collect our food the bill seems surprisingly high, and the drinks look surprisingly larger than we expected.

And when we get the bill we see that the woman messed up our orders completely. She charged us extra for the large combo, and extra AGAIN for the medium combo.

Based on the receipt apparently medium is NOT the same as "regular" - even though we both asked for REGULAR.

Frustrated, and knowing we would only end up with an argument and an horrible customer service experience I chose instead to take a photo of the receipt (shown above) and then share this experience with others.

My advice?

#1. COMPLAIN ABOUT THEIR MISTAKE MORE BEFORE YOU GET THE FOOD.

#2. If the total they quote you sounds wrong, it probably is. See #1 over again to make sure they don't mess up your order.

#3. Document the mistake so you can complain about it later. I am sending a copy of this post to Wendys.ca via their customer feedback website.

#4. Demand a refund for their mistake and boycott that restaurant until you get a refund and apology.

We shall be going to Burger King, A&W and other restaurants instead until we get a refund and an apology.

And it is NOT the money that matters. I am only out $1.78 + HST, what bothers me is just how poor the service was that they messed up our order not once, but twice.

Duck Eggs and Quail Eggs

Wow. Duck Eggs and Quail Eggs.

I didn't even know I could buy these. Specialty grocery stores are awesome.

However I see no reason to purchase them - no recipes that call for them. I will stick to my extra large brown eggs I usually buy.

Ironhorse Bicycle with Super Thick Tires

Oooooo I want this bicycle. I saw this in the store and just had to try it out for size for fun.

The extra big tires give the bicycle more bounce - but also increases the weight of the bicycle (which makes it slower). Still I think it would be fun to ride sometime.

Available at Canadian Tire. Very shiny.

Gillette Fusion ProGlide Power Razor

I recently purchased the Gillette Fusion ProGlide Power Razor at CostCo (it was on sale and I was looking for a new razor anyway).

I tried the razor for the first time this morning.

Wow. Very happy with the results.

I was skeptical of the whole flexing ball thing, and doubly skeptical of the idea of a vibrating razor while I am shaving. I thought for sure I was going to end up cutting my face.

Instead what happened was one of the quickest, smoothest, most comfortable shaves I have experienced in years. (Comparable to several 3 and 4 blade razors I reviewed several years ago, only better.)

So yes. Shock and surprise at how good the razors are. And very, VERY happy with the results.

Shopping for a New Microwave

My SHARP "Carousel" microwave died two weeks ago and I have been dragging my feet about purchasing a new one.

6 Steps to Buy a New Microwave

#1. Measure the space in inches and record down the dimensions of the space for your new microwave.

You will need the width, height and depth of the space. Mine is a little more than 24 inches wide, 20 inches tall and 21 inches deep.

Thus any microwave that size or smaller will fit, but ideally I want something that fits the space perfectly.

#2. Research different microwave brands and models online - via homedepot.ca and similar websites.

Don't just go to the store and buy the first one you see that fits.

#3. Make a list of any special features you want on your microwave.

Compare the different brands and models and find several that fit your needs.

Sometimes you can find the exact same model of microwave on sale at a different store or $20 to $50 cheaper. Confirm that the chosen model is the correct size for the space by checking the dimensions.

#4. Compare customer feedback / reviews.

If a microwave has a lot of bad reviews, maybe you should not purchase it.

#5. Optional - After making your decision wait for your chosen microwave to be on sale and then purchase it. You don't have to do this right away, but it is certainly an option.

#6. Purchase it right away if you feel "The Price is Right".

So which microwaves am I contemplating purchasing?

Well, the following models fit - and I am not too picky about which special features come on the microwave.

Danby 1.1 Cubic Feet Microwave-Stainless - $118 - RATED 5 STARS BY REVIEWERS.

Haier 1.6 Cubic Feet Over The Range Microwave - $199 - AT 29 INCHES WIDE IT IS TOO WIDE!!!

General Electric (GE) 1.6 Cubic Feet Over-The-Range Microwave Oven - $378 - 5 STAR RATING, BUT ALSO TOO WIDE FOR THE SPACE!!!

There was also a lot of unrated microwaves that had not been reviewed by anyone. Like these two that are identical except for their exteriors.

LG 1.5 Cubic Feet Countertop Microwave with Easyclean, Stainless Steel - $198

LG 1.5 Cubic Feet Countertop Microwave with Easyclean, White Exterior - $158

So you save $40 just by purchasing the white one instead of the stainless steel. (And it weighs 6.5 lbs less.)

So now that I have found several I like I just have to compare prices at different stores and then go pick up the one I like after I make my final decision.

The stainless steel LG is tempting just because it is easier to clean, but is it worth $40 more just for easier cleaning? I think not.

UPDATE - I found the same two microwaves at Future Shop on sale. Purchased the white version of the LG 1.5 for a mere $139.99. The stainless steel version was $159.99.