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Amazon Products Reviews

By Gary F. Zeolla

Reviews of and direct links to products on Amazon.

X 2012: Christian Rock Hits

X 2011: Christian Rock Hits

X 2010: Christian Rock Hits

Great music for powerlifting workouts

I ordered these three CDs from Amazon in April 2014 to complete a collection I had: the X series of yearly “Christian Rock Hits.” I had the CDs for years 2003-09, the X Christmas CD, and the two X Worship CDs, so I ordered the 2010-12 CDs. According to Wikipedia, the series ended with 2012, so these three CDs completed my set. And they are all great! The music is Christian hard rock, just perfect for my powerlifting workouts in my home gym. And the CDs are longer than most, lasting about an hour, so I don't have to change music in the middle of my workout. With working out alone, it can sometimes be hard to get psyched up, but cranking up these CDs has enabled me to put in many hard workouts. And it so much nicer getting psyched to music that glorifies my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, rather than secular music that can be degrading.

However, one word of warning: for many years now, I have been using an external USB hard drive for monthly backups and a USB flash drive for daily backups. But somehow my flash drive got write protected. I couldn’t figure out how that happened. After a wasted hour, I figured it out. The flash drive was somehow write protected when I backed up MP3 files I had downloaded from Amazon. I got these free with the X2012 CD. (The X2010 and 2011 CDs were used, so I didn’t get the free MP3s). I found this out as the only way I could remove the write protect was to full format the drive. I first copied everything from it onto my hard drive, then formatted it, then copied the files back onto the drive. But when I copied the MP3s, the drive got write protected again. So I had to reformat it and to copy my files again, but this time without coping the MP3s, and now it works just fine.

I am giving all three CDs five stars for the CDs themselves, but the MP3s would only get one star.

32" LED Folding Star Decoration

Looks good above my parent's front door

I got this star for my parents for Christmas 2013 to put above the front door of their house. My dad put it up the day after Christmas. He said there is not much in the way of putting it together, but he did have a hard time hanging it up, as there is not much to clasp onto. But my parents say they really liked it once he got it hung up. And the size is just right. It fits in the space above their door and can be seen easily from the street. So I am giving it four stars.

Illuminated Holiday Star Christmas Light Decoration

Too many parts and fragile

I got this star for my parents for Christmas 2011 to put above the front door of their house. My dad put it up the day after Christmas. But he did not like it. It has lots of parts to put together, and it took him quite a while to do so. Then it was hard to hang up,  as he needed to put it close to the wall, but the star is too wide for that, so it always was at an angle. Then after two years, it was already falling part, so they asked if I could find them a new star. So for Christmas 2013 I got them a 32" LED Folding Star Decoration, and they like it much better.

Original Club Steering Wheel Lock

Works and long-lasting

I purchased a Club back in May 2000 when I got a new car. That car was a Buick and had a locking steering wheel. The dealer told me that it was unlikely anyone could break that mechanism. But I didn't want to risk my new car being stolen, and I had heard the cost of repairing the car if someone just broke into it was rather high. So with this Club being a visible deterrent, I figured it would be worthwhile, so I purchased it.

This Club is easy to put on and take off, so I did so every time I parked the car. I do not drive that much, as I work and workout at in my home, so I kept that car for 14 years. And I used the same Club that entire time. I never had my car stolen or even someone try to do so, even though I do not have  garage to put it in, so it sits outside all of the time. Then in March 2014, I finally got a new car. I thought of getting a new Club for it, but my old one was still in fine condition, so I am still using it with my new Chevy Cruze. And at this writing, October 2014, I have not had anyone steal or try to steal it, for which I am thankful. And the Club still works just fine.

Given how long-lasting this Club is and given that it works both to keep a car from being stolen and as a deterrent against someone even trying to, I am giving it five stars.

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