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Saturday, September 30, 2006

Reviewed on Mediatron!

Conrad Freiburg's Slipping Glimpser reviewed on Mediatron today!

Read the Review!

Sept. 30th - Weekly Buy Nothing Day!

Today... No money... No consumer addiction... No stressing about finances... Just relax, enjoy what you already have (it's more than you think), and take a break from the church bells of cash registers.

Maybe you could go on a bike ride? That's always free. If you would have come out to Chicago's Critical Mass last night, we would have showed you how it was done. Cold, rainy and a hell of a good time, myself and about a thousand others took to the streets with our human-powered vehicles to remind everyone that there are better ways to get around this city than pumping the gas. Just like there are better ways to have fun than weekend shopping sprees.

Maybe you could even bike up to the Chicago History Museum's grand reopening?

Friday, September 29, 2006

Flickr.com Pro Account

Item Purchased: Flickr.com Pro Account
Location Purchased: Flickr.com
Price: $24.95

Review: If only all online storage and bandwidth were this much of a value! Not that you can do anything you want to with Flickr... you can't.

Flickr.com is one of the most popular online image hosting services, but to leave it at that would be like saying that Paris Hilton is annoying. Both statements are true, but neither illuminates the larger truth. In addition to letting you store thousands of images of your children engaged in ordinary banal activities, Flickr also serves as a social networking tool, a worldwide message board, and a way for photographers to license and organize their work by offering an array of licenses (including Creative Commons) and organizing tools.

My primary reason for using Flickr is to host images I display on Consumatron and BurningJelly.com. Flickr does offer a free account to users that allows you to upload 20MB of images a month. Other restrictions include a limit of 3 online photo albums and the ability to only view the last 200 images on your account. A paid account offers a 2GB upload limit, unlimited photo albums, unlimited viewing and other advantages. The free account is usually enough for most people who aren't avid photographers, but I found myself nearing my limit this month, so I purchased a pro account.

As I continue to take pictures of my purchases, the prepaid storage space on Flickr will pay for itself in the long run. Instead of hosting images on my webserver, which charges fees for going over my allotted bandwidth limits, all I will have to worry about now is text. Though I write a lot each day, it would probably take me years to fill up my storage space or bandwidth with text.

In addition to relying on Flickr for storage, there are other advantages to their services. First, I am able to "tag" my images with short descriptions in order to allow anyone who is looking for a picture of, say, garbanzo beans to type in the word "garbanzo" and find my picture. Second, users of Flickr are able to send messages to one another, comment on pictures, subscribe to each other's image feed and network through their images. And let's face it, in this day and age, most social networking is done based on shallow qualities such as image.

As yet another way to harbor community and promote digital word-of-mouth, Flickr is one of the highlights of this mediascape that is being labeled Web 2.0. In addition to blogging, Myspace, podcasting and video sharing, expect sites like Flickr to continue to develop, increasing community (be it based on creativity or profit) for a long time. I've always believed that the internet is a great tool to make connections with and it is user friendly sites like Flickr that engage people into doing so.

Rating: 4 / 5

Check out my Flickr photostream: LINK

From the It's True... They Made A Movie About It! department:

I use cash for nearly every purchase. If I do use a credit card, it is usually a debit card connected to my checking account. I don't like to spend more money than I have and I especially don't like to owe someone who I don't even know anything. I have a balance of nearly $4,000 on my credit card and it feels like $400,000 to me. Living the spend-what-you-have lifestyle is difficult sometimes and it doesn't mesh with what is deemed socially hip, but it has taught me how to be a happier individual in the long run. The culture of debt in our country and the world is ridiculous. Money is simply borrowed into existence every minute. Some people make money off of this very fact. No longer does it matter how much paper is in your billfold. Money is rather like points in a video game. Consumerism and economics is based on how many points we owe each other at any given moment. And there are new points owed every minute. We like to hang on to the idea that our money is worth something and believe that we are some of the wealthiest people in the world.

The new documentary, Maxed Out sets out to prove this wrong and wake us up to how horribly impoverished and disadvantaged the average person is. Currently the filmmakers are seeking a distribution deal but you can see this film at a few upcoming film festivals around the U.S. I have a feeling this film will open at least a few eyes.

(Maxed Out via Star Telegram)

Sept 29th - Previously Reviewed Purchases

Thursday, September 28, 2006

Grand Floral Fruit Bouquet from FruitFlowers

Item Purchased: Grand Floral Fruit Bouquet from FruitFlowers
Location Purchased: FruitFlowers / 2148 N. Damen Ave. / Chicago, IL
Price: $70.00 + tax

Review: I'm not good at the whole anniversary gift thing... Primarily because I have never been in a relationship for a full year up until today (blistering shyness and previous attraction to unhealthy drama may be a few of the reasons for that). My girlfriend is not really the flower type. Me? I've got a bit of that traditional romantic in me. She likes fruit, so this seemed like the perfect gift.

FruitFlowers, which recently opened here in Chicago specializes in the unique creation of flower bouquets that you can eat... Because they are made out of fresh fruit. The craftsmanship that goes into their arrangements, using melons, strawberries, grapes, pineapple and kiwi, is such an amazing oddity that one almost doesn't want to eat the fruit at all. Of course, someone always breaks down and opens the flood gates. Soon, you find yourself un-skewering an assortment of fancy cut sweetness as if you were gardening with your appetite.

FruitFlowers started as a project between two women in their New Jersey Kitchens, making and selling these edible arrangements as party centerpieces. Soon, this healthy and more experience-based alternative to sending regular old wilting flowers caught on and the franchising began. These baskets make a perfect gift for people like my girlfriend and I who are more interested in experiencing things together than amassing several gifts during holidays. We were able to admire, stare, then enjoy. Not much later, all that is left of one of these things is the wicker basket. The fruit tastes surprisingly fresh, but I am not sure if the ingredients used are organic or not. It would be an interesting tidbit of information to know. FruitFlowers does have a program with which they honor and recognize community members who dedicate themselves to helping others. It would be interesting to know how deep this sentiment runs through the company.

My only complaint about the product itself is the inclusion of marshmallows inside of every strawberry rose. This would make such a great gift for a vegetarian (as my girlfriend is), but the vegans and super picky veggies out there (luckily my girlfriend is not) won't touch one of these things with a ten foot pole if they see an item with gelatin in it. My girlfriend had a minor problem with the inclusion, but we managed to work around the small fluff (mainly, by me eating the marshmallows.

A FruitFlowerd bouquet makes a great gift, but I can't help but wonder how long this idea can last. I don't imagine it catching on as a cultural standard the way sending flowers has, and giving these baskets on a regular basis might wear itself out quickly. The company has been around since the early eighties, but I wonder what will happen once more areas know about them through franchising?

Rating: 4.25 / 5

Small Coffee from Mercury Cafe

Item Purchased: Small Coffee from Mercury Cafe
Location Purchased: Mercury Cafe / 1505 W. Chicago Ave. / Chicago, IL
Price: $1.65 + tax

Review: Mercury Cafe's owner, Alexandria Kalika is the type of small business owner others should aspire to be. The budget-conscious, serious businesswoman is inside of her, and has to be to pull of a project like Chicago Avenue's newest cafe. The other side of Kalika is an idealistic realist who wants to provide you and I with a comfortable and welcoming space that nuzzles you just enough to make you stay a while. At over 4000 sq. ft, Mercury Cafe is more than just another coffee shop. It is an establishment that begs to be frequented, used and transformed endlessly. Sparsely furnished with a patchwork of stray tables and chairs, area hipsters, professionals and professional hipsters alike can make a space for themselves and finish whatever posturing or work they need to. With wall space for gallery displays (they rotate, so check the website or just drop in on a regular basis), bookshelves scattered throughout and free Wi-Fi, Mercury Cafe is somewhat of an ideal in my mind when I think of a coffee shop. Despite the open space and high ceilings, sound doesen't seem to travel much farther than personal bubble distance.

Though I didn't do the research I am supposed to (like pay attention to what I am purchasing enough to tell you a few specifics), Mercury Cafe offers only organic fair trade coffee. For sale by the bag are several blends of Intelligentsia Coffee and Cafe Transparencia. The unknown blend I tried today was a medium roast with a smooth and rich earthiness that left very little aftertaste.

Mercury Cafe's reflects more of Kalika's idealism than her business savvy by not only keeping the array of her products natural and fair, but also by keeping the prices reasonable. This place is a quiet revolution waiting to happen and Kalika deserves your support.

Rating: 4.5 / 5

O Organics Garbanzo Beans (15 oz. can)

Item Purchased: O Organics Garbanzo Beans (15 oz. can)
Location Purchased: Dominick's / 3145 S. Ashland / Chicago, IL
Price: $1.09 + tax

Review: It's not so much the texture or sogginess of canned garbanzo beans that turns me off. I don't mind the slight wetness or mushiness. What I mind is the stale-ass water that causes what seems to be an alternating osmosis and loss of flavor inside of every can of beans. Come to think of it, this happens in almost every can of vegetables I can think of. The end result is always a formaldehyde taste. I don't know the exact chemistry of it, but I do know that it is a most unpleasant sensation. Beautiful, flavorful foods and essential tasteless water both are ruined by the canning process. Even though these beans are organic, the result of being shut inside of a dark cylindrical prison is the same.

Canned garbanzos can only be saved one way... by draining and frying the shit out of it (literally). It's not the same as if you had fresh or dehydrated beans, but it will do. Or at least it did this time.

Rating: 2.25 / 5

Dominick's Brand Old Fashioned Oat Cereal (18 oz.)

Item Purchased: Dominick's Brand Old Fashioned Oat Cereal (18 oz.)
Location Purchased: Dominick's / 3145 S. Ashland / Chicago, IL
Price: $2.37 + tax

Review: Usually when I buy oatmeal, I turn into a man of modern convenience. I like my rolled oats flavored and sweetened for me. Sure, I could just spoon a bunch of maple syrup and brown sugar into my plain oatmeal, but I would just end up eating the brown sugar straight from the bag (I love how it dissolves in your mouth).

I bought this Oatmeal for use in texturing veggie burgers. There's not much to say. These oats have been rolled and dried. If you eat them cooked and plain, you won't taste much. It's rather like having a moist sponge in your mouth, actually.

I'm not complaining, I'm just saying that I don't have much room for plain oatmeal as a staple in my diet, so I wish I could buy smaller packages of it instead.

Rating: 2.5 / 5

Dominick's Brand Long Grain Brown Rice (16 oz.)

Item Purchased: Dominick's Brand Long Grain Brown Rice (16 oz.)
Location Purchased: Dominick's / 3145 S. Ashland / Chicago, IL
Price: $0.89 + tax

Review: Brown rice goes well with nearly everything. It's oaty nutty flavor and chewy texture goes well with a soy-filled stir fry, a sweet dessert or by itself. I just wish I could eat more of it. I haven't bought brown rice in over a year simply because I am never in a situation where I have the time or forethought to cook it. I cook a lot and eschew convenience foods, but 45 minutes to an hour is a luxury I haven't adjusted my cycle to. I could easily cook a pot of this stuff while I sit around and write, but my mind and life is so scatterbrained that I haven't ever made room for this.

It amazes and amuses me that brown rice used to be looked down upon as the food of the peasant and now it is held up as one of the staples of a healthy diet. My guess is that brown rice takes less time to harvest and process than white rice (you are basically removing only one husk instead of two). Because the little people in the rice fields had to work harder to process white rice, I assume that royalty viewed it as a better food. Little did they know that the final bran layer that is removed before reaching the white rice grain is full of essential fatty acids and nutrients. No wonder royalty got so fat. It was the rice! Brown rice is also harder to store for long periods of time.

Besides being healthy and hip, I just like the taste of brown rice. For a store brand, this rice was surprisingly good. It didn't have the stale flavor a lot of white rice does after it sits on the shelf for so long. This rice was as fresh and nutty as any I have had. And at only $0.89, it's quite a bargain. Those peasants knew what they were doing. Eat that, royalty!

Rating: 4 / 5

Safeway Select Garlic Powder (3.12 oz.)

Item Purchased: Safeway Select Garlic Powder (3.12 oz.)
Location Purchased: Dominick's / 3145 S. Ashland / Chicago, IL
Price: $2.99 + tax

Review: When improving a meal's taste with garlic, I prefer to use the freshest, most organic head of garlic I can find. I'll chop it or crush it myself, just me and my knife. Cooking is about the process for me, not putting it into a box, typing in a PIN number and waiting for it to get hot.

I'm a busy guy. I work six days a week, ten hour days and spend very little of my time at home outside of bed or conscious. So when it comes to drying and powdering a subterranean vegetable, I'll settle for the not so fresh and probably not so organic.

At about a buck an ounce, you'd think this would be a valuable natural resource essential to our survivor, but no... It just makes stuff taste good. Luckily, the three dollars I spent will last me for at least a few months, since it is rare I use this pungent powdery plant in it's crumbly form. As for the taste... you show me someone who can distinguish between garlic powders and I'll show you someone who has more time on his hands than someone who reviews everything he buys.

Rating: 3 / 5

From the Does Jesus Validate Parking? department:

Stevens Creek Community Church, in Augusta Georgia, seems to have gotten sick and tired of passing the donations basket around. Now, parishioners can donate to the church with their credit card... At a black kiosk in the lobby of the church. The best part? You can earn frequent flyer miles by tithing with your credit card! So now, the faithful can fly around in the heavens a bit more often before they ascend there for good. (LA Times)

Consumatron has a Wiki!

Just wanted to let you all know that I started a rough-sketch Wiki for Consumatron over at Wikia's Scratchpad. You can access this wiki from the sidebar at the left and anyone can edit it. No rules. Put whatever you want over there... comments.. reviews of my reviews... suggestions on what I should buy and review next or anything really. Don't worry about not knowing the wiki language... I'm still learning too... Just head on over there and start playing around!

(Consumatron's Scratchpad Wiki)

Sept. 28th - Previously Reviewed Purchases

Wednesday, September 27, 2006

Won Ton Noodle Soup from Joy Yee

Item Purchased: Won Ton Noodle Soup from Joy Yee
Location Purchased: Joy Yee's Noodles / 1335 S. Halsted St. / Chicago, IL
Price: $6.50 + tax

Review: Soup, simple soup. I get a kick out of how so many Asian restaurants create a whole new section for their menu by simply throwing their other dishes in that salty fish-tasting broth. Voila. Soup. Just add other menu items! Usually soups are less expensive, but just as filling. Ordering a soup dish from an Asian restaurant is a good way to save money while still trying various foods. Just think of it as replacing half of your order with flavorful hot water. Or don't... That might be kind of gross, come to think about it.

In the case of my lunch today, the other menu item was won ton. I have only tried this ubiquitous Asian cuisine appetizer dumpling/pasta in its fried form (usually complimentary with a carry out order and stuffed to the gills with pork and cream cheese). The prospect of tasting an unfried won ton was wholly alien to me.

It turns out that unfried won ton tastes a lot like kreplach. A thin, oddly shaped strip of pasta is wrapped around a ball of meat (at Joy Yee, it is a subtly spiced beef meatball) and twisted together like wrapping paper around a bowling ball. The won tons come submerged in a hugantic plastic container of the heavily spiced broth I described above. Alongside, you receive a quart carry-out container full of plain flour noodles a bit thicker than vermicelli and thinner than conventional spaghetti, that you can dunk into the already packed broth as you see fit.

Though this is a rather plain dish, mild in flavor, I found it satisfying. Joy Yee's soups certainly are the best value in the University Village area around UIC. I finished a little more than half (making sure to polish off the numerous won ton hanging out at the bottom of the broth) before I was too stuffed to continue. This sure beats paying nearly $10.00 for a lunch combo that will leave you wanting more over at Quiznos or $.50 for a box of dehydrated noodles at 7-Eleven.

Rating: 3.5 / 5

Bad Pictures Of Me In The International Press!

Draugas, a Lithuanian world-wide daily newspaper published here in Chicago, has also mentioned Consumatron.com in their newspaper. I helped to redesign their website a few months ago and can't thank them enough for mentioning me. I'm not sure what the article says, since I don't speak Lithuanian, but the picture they used of me from the site is hilarious. I will scan the print article and post it to the Press page as soon as I can.

From the Big Box Blues department:

Today marks a dark day in Chicago consumer history. Wal-Mart is opening its first store within Chicago city limits today. It's been two weeks since Mayor Daley vetoed the big-box ordinance which would require stores like Wal-Mart to pay their employees a living wage (huh?) and offer competitive benefits (wha?). Man, the ghost of Sam Walton moves fast!

According to the ABC 7 report, this location will "feature products, from food to clothing, specifically aimed at the ethnic mix of Chicago's West Side, mostly African-American and Hispanic. Rather than McDonald's, for instance, there is an Uncle Remus fried chicken inside." Yeah, because unethnic people hate cheap products made in China and won't go anywhere without a McDonald's, right? Call me crazy, but this seems like another effort that will only result in keeping the ethnic out of the mix by exploiting and providing for them simultaneously on the West Side where they will now have every thing they need. Wal-Mart will be keeping it in the community and sending the checks south. God I hate them.

(ABC7 via Chicagoist)

Sept. 27th - Previously Reviewed Purchases

Tuesday, September 26, 2006

Reuben Sandwich w/Potato Pancake from Manny's

Item Purchased: Reuben Sandwich w/Potato Pancake from Manny's
Location Purchased: Manny's Coffee Shop & Deli / 1141 S. Jefferson / Chicago, IL
Price: $11.95 + tax

Review: New York has several cafeteria-style restaurants where you walk in, wait in line with all walks of life to get your food from the counter and sit at one of any number of identical tables scattered throughout the place. Katz's is probably the most famous, but in my few trips to New York City, I've wandered in and out of a handful of them. Here in Chicago, only two come to mind. One is the historic Valois down in Hyde Park. The other, and probably the most famous, is Manny's. At Manny's, the decor is minimal, the crowd is diverse (politicians, students and homeless alike frequent this place), the cooks are quick and sarcastic and the sandwiches are tall enough to topple over with a glance.

The first Manny's was opened shortly after World War II in the Jewish Maxwell Street neighborhood. It was in 1964 that Manny's moved to its current location and not much beyond the prices has changed. Owner Ken Raskin (son of the late Manny) isn't one of those business owners who sits in the back room counting receipts either. In fact, Ken was the one who took my order and stacked the small rye slices full of more corned beef than the laws of physics usually allows to stand up. Offering up a potato pancake with my sandwich (how could I resist a genuine latke?), Ken made a couple of snide remarks about the special diet my friend and I were going on by eating at Manny's and slapped the plate stacked with food on the counter in front of us. It wasn't until I reached the end of the lunch counter that my order was wrapped in foil and a brown paper bag to go.

Though not my favorite Reuben in the city, this one comes damn close! The corned beef is hand sliced to a paper thin consistency, stacked high enough to make it difficult to pick up and leaner than Pisa. There was less sauerkraut than I would have liked, minimal Swiss cheese and not enough Russian dressing on the side to complete my sandwich, but the explosion of meat shrapnel caused by simply picking this monstrosity up made up for all of this. This is one fine Reuben. The potato pancake was a bit too greasy and chewy to make the extra $1.50-$2.00 I paid for it worth it, but two complimentary pickle spears (a staple of any genuine Jewish-style deli) made up for that.

At $13.00+ after tax, it is no wonder Manny's attracts so many politicians into its plainclothes interior. People who have money and the gut to fit Manny's into their diet regularly make a habit of stopping in. I, on the other hand, can't fit a regular stop into my budget. A part of me wishes I could. At the very least, one Reuben from Manny's easily provided me with two full meals for the day.

If you haven't eaten at Manny's, I've been told you don't qualify as a true Chicagoan. So, save your pennies and stop in during a stray lunch hour. Prepare to wait in line, be mildly insulted by the snappy crew and finally, eat until your gut busts. If you are anything like me, you won't be sorry you came, but you will wish the prices were a bit lower.

Rating: 4 / 5

Consumatron is in the Media

Here is a list of some of the places I have been mentioned. If you decide to mention me anywhere, feel free to contact me at consumatron[@]consumatron.com. I'd rather you get things wrong because I am forgetful and not because you made something up. This post will always be available through the link on the side bar on the left that says "Press." I will be updating this entry as is appropriate.

In Print
  • 10/13/2006 - Daily Southtown (online)

3 Copies of the Sept. 26th Chicago Tribune Newspaper

Item Purchased: 3 Copies of the Sept. 26th Chicago Tribune Newspaper
Location Purchased: Barbara's Bookstore / 1218 S. Halsted / Chicago, IL
Price: $1.50 w/tax ($0.50 ea)

Review: Heh.. yeah right... You actually think I would review this? I bought these papers because reporter Colleen Mastony wrote a feature about yours truly and Consumatron.com.

I don't think I need to say that there is a feeling of excitement and bewilderment that comes with having a feature story written about you, so I wanted to have a few extra copies to give to friends and family and save for myself. In addition to the one copy that was given to me and an extra copy I found on a bench near the Halsted Orange Line train station, I upped my cache to five.

I could say all sorts of things about print versus electronic media and the different categories of news. I could analyze Mastony's article word for word and tell you where the context seems crystal clear or muddied. I could talk about facts and angles. I could do all of that, but I won't. Doing all of that would probably make me one of the largest assholes to keep a blog.

Instead, I will simply say thank you, Colleen. I am honored that you took an interest in my work, took the time to write the feature and were able to get your editors to approve it. Thank you.

Rating: What kind of egotistical attention-whore do you people think I am?

From the I'd Buy That For A Dollar department:

Nineteen watercolor paintings and two sketches attributed to Adolf Hitler sold for £118,000 ($223,000) at an auction in the southwest of England. Preservation of history aside, the watercolor shown here looks like it could be where Thomas Kinkade drew inspiration from. Incidentally, I place the aesthetic value of both artists at the same price... And that is a lot less than $223,000 dollars, believe you me.

(BBC News)

Consumatron.com in the Chicago Tribune Today!

tick... tick... tick...

I'm not sure if that's the sound of my alarm clock winding down or a few minutes of my fifteen ticking away.

The Chicago Tribune published a story by Colleen Mastony about Consumatron.com on the front page of the Tempo Section today. I always feel skeezy saying "look at me," but give it a read. I'm still in a bit of shock that the Tribune found my site interesting enough to do a feature story on. Thanks Colleen!

Hello to everyone checking out the site via the Tribune article! I hope you find something of interest here. Leave a comment or write an e-mail because it's the dialogue that makes blogging such an interesting medium. You might also want to read the FAQ. Or you might just want to spill your morning coffee all over my (printed) face. That's cool too.

Also, please don't neglect Mediatron, the side-blog where I review items such as movies, books and music. I spend more time on those reviews, so there are fewer of them, but they are my babies. You don't want to neglect my babies, do you?

(Chicago Tribune)

Consumatron.com's 1st Anniversary Party Is Only 20 Days Away!


The Consumatron.com 1st Anniversary Party is only 20 days away and to say I am nervous would be a gross understatement. Most of the pieces are falling into place just the way they should be, but there are a few loose ends that perhaps you could help me with. Here is the relevant information:

CONSUMATRON.COM - 1ST ANNUAL REVUE

In celebration of Consumatron's first arbitrary block of time as a daily weblog, I have decided to throw a party for it... And you! More than just a celebration of one man's attempt to review everything he purchases, this is a celebration of some of the best Chicago talent I have come to know. In fact, there will probably be very little mention or talk of shopping or reviewing at this event. There will be an array of performers and creative types for you to feast your eyes on and converse with though. Hopefully you will be one of them.

Scheduled to Perform:

-Charles Blackstone (author of The Week You Weren't Here)-
-Dan Solomon (poet and spoken word performer)-
-Russell Williamson (stand up comedian)-
-Lord Of The Yum Yum (one man beat-box/scat orchestra)-
-Adam Fitz (singer/songwriter with more than enough soul in his voice)-

-w/set break silence filled by the sounds of DJ Oh Shinobi-

Also not to be missed:

-Live action cartooning and art booth manned by Peter Klockau-
-Stuff to buy...and maybe even barter for-
-Prize raffle to benefit 826 Chicago-

All this and more for only $5.00!

-October 15th, 2006-
-Subterranean-
-2011 W. North Ave.-
-Chicago, Illinois-
-Doors open @ 8:00 PM, Festivities @ 8:30 PM-
-Get your tickets online now!-

I'd be thrilled if you all came out and said hi! My suggestion is to show up early so you don't miss a thing. Since it is only $5.00 to get in, you will have plenty to spend on beer and tips for the fantastic folks who work at SubT. They deserve it!

And more?

Well, that's up to you. I'm still looking for local artists and creative types with handmade products to set up shop on the night of this event to peddle your wares. The idea is inexpensive, creative and impassioned. I am also looking for any donations for the raffle. 826 Chicago is not sponsoring me in any way. I simply believe what they do is a good thing and believe that with more programs geared toward helping children become better writers and communicators, we'll somehow arrive at a more informed and interesting world.

Anybody interested in setting up shop or donating something to raffle off (gift certificates, local services, music, movies, etc...), please contact me via e-mail at consumatron[@]consumatron[.]com.

Reviewed On Mediatron Today!

Peter Klockau's (the guy who designed the Consumatron.com posters) comic book, Charlie C. Chatterbee, reviewed on Mediatron today!

Read the Review!

Sept. 26th - Previously Reviewed Purchases

Monday, September 25, 2006

Sunday As A Day Of Rest? Pshaw!

Yesterday, Consumatron.com was unavailable for nearly 18 hours. This has happened the last three Sundays with no warning from my hosting provider. This is unacceptable for a content-driven daily weblog. I am working on transferring Consumatron's files to a new hosting service and will give a review when everything is done. Hopefully there will be no lag in site updates, but please forgive the hiccups.

From the Can't Buy Me Love department:

Insecure men went to the website, www.lengthandgirth.com and paid thousands of dollars to have an 80 year old man inject abdominal fat into their little friends. Now they are suing the doctor because what they ended up with "doesn't even resemble a penis." No kidding! It probably resembles a machine malfunction at a sausage casing factory. Does anyone out there really feel sorry for these guys? (Chicago Sun-Times via Obscure Store)

Sept. 25th - Previously Reviewed Purchases

Sunday, September 24, 2006

Bob's Red Mill Whole Ground Flax Seed Meal (16 oz.)

Item Purchased: Bob's Red Mill Whole Ground Flax Seed Meal (16 oz.)
Location Purchased: Trader Joe's / 1840 N. Clybourn Ave. / Chicago, IL
Price: $2.29 + tax

Review: Flax seeds produce a vegetable oil that has been used for centuries as a drying oil in varnishes and paints. In the very recent past, the fact that flax seed oil contains a high level of omega-3 fatty acids that benefit humans when consumed has rocketed into the public consciousness faster than a Paris Hilton sex video makes it onto YouTube. This is one of the minor reasons I try to keep flax seed on hand in my kitchen (much like the analogy is why I tend to stay away from YouTube... I thought skinny rich bitchy celebrities were so last year, people!). I admit, I originally started to use flax seed in smoothies and on peanut butter sandwiches because of the reported health benefits, but now I primarily use it because of it's nutty flavor.

A teaspoon of flax seed on my peanut butter coated toast in the morning not only adds a pleasant texture and causes me to pick at my teeth all day, but also causes the peanut butter itself taste as if it were made from two different kinds of nuts. If eaten by itself, flax seed tastes rather like cardboard confetti or dried oatmeal, but as an addition to said oatmeal (preferably wet) or other foods, it alters the taste for the better. Bob's flax seed, however is a bit more fresh and moist straight from the bag than other brands you will find.

For those of you who have never tried flax, I urge you to try and get your omega-3s from a source other than mercury laden seafood. Try it on eggs, peanut butter and oatmeal. If you don't like any of those, you are only out about two bucks.

Rating: 4.25 / 5

Trader Darwin's High Potency Multiple Vitamins (360 Tablets)

Item Purchased: Trader Darwin's High Potency Multiple Vitamins (360 Tablets)
Location Purchased: Trader Joe's / 1840 N. Clybourn Ave. / Chicago, IL
Price: $11.99 + tax

Review: I believe I've said it before, but I will say it again. I wish the modern American diet (specifically my own) filled with a varied and voluptuous array of foods so balanced that there would be no need to take vitamin supplements. Unfortunately, this isn't the case. Though I try to eat healthy, I'm sure that the occasional Jim's Original Polish Sausage I eat doesn't contain the recommended amount of iron or B12 I need to stay focused and energized throughout my day. It is because of this hedonistic carnivorous pleasure-seeking that I must resort to futuristic ways of keeping my brain and body balanced.

Trader Darwin's multivitamins are completely vegan, so that means there is no gelitan surrounding the healthy parts. This, in turn, means that sticking your nose over the top of an open bottle of these things is akin to being caught in a septic tank. Despite the earthy and natural smell, the taste of these vitamins is not bad at all. As for their effectiveness, I'll need a bit more time to tell. I can say that after taking just one of these vitamins in the morning, I did feel more alert and energetic all day long, but who's to say that wasn't from a good night's sleep.

My one complaint is that the shelf tag at Trader Joe's said that this bottle of vitamins cost $7.99, but when I was in the check-out aisle, they rang up at $11.99. This is still a good deal for 180 days of energy and pill-form health (you are supposed to take two a day), but it leads me to wonder if Trader Joe's suffers from the same scanner troubles that several other area groceries do.

Rating: 4 / 5

2 Jars of Trader Joe's Chunky Peanut Butter - Salted (16 oz.)

Item Purchased: 2 Jars of Trader Joe's Chunky Peanut Butter - Salted (16 oz.)
Location Purchased: Trader Joe's / 1840 N. Clybourn Ave. / Chicago, IL
Price: $1.69 + tax each

Review: I already reviewed Trader Joe's Creamy Peanut Butter way back in October. The only thing left to really say is that this jar has peanut chunks in it. Still one of the best peanut butters I have bought from a grocery store. Still the most inexpensive natural peanut butters I have purchased. Still great. The only thing I can think to add is that the peanuts floating around in this jar of bread spacer taste fresh and aren't dried out and crispy like many of the other crunchy peanut butters you will find. When you eat this stuff, you get peanut butter and then you get even more peanut butter as you chew the peanuts that were lucky enough to be spared pulverization... Until now!

Rating: 4.75 / 5

Mountain Creek Classic Lager Beer (6 pk. cans)

Item Purchased: Mountain Creek Classic Lager Beer (6 pk. cans)
Location Purchased: Trader Joe's / 1840 N. Clybourn Ave. / Chicago, IL
Price: $2.99 + tax

Review: Usually Trader Joe's can be trusted implicitly when it comes to cheap food and drink. Even the seemingly cut-out priced items tend to taste great and meet your needs. This cannot be said for Mountain Creek Beer. This beer is proof that my home state of Wisconsin is not only the home to the U.S' best beer, but also the worst. Mountain Creek is brewed by the Joseph Huber Brewing Company in Monroe (from the folks who brew Berghoff), Wisconsin and their URL used to be www.damngoodbeer.com, but that address no longer registers as a valid site. I am assuming that the URL was a curse against good beer rather than a description of the beer itself. This stuff tastes like Miller Lite with a few dirty gutter pennies at the bottom.

On the can is the claim that Mountain Creek is a "Classic Lager" which is a sham. Also displayed prominently at the top of the can just below the lip, is the alcohol content of 5.5%. While this is a stronger beer than most other lagers in this ultra affordable price range, the only reason to buy Mountain Creek is for the relatively high alcohol content. With a hoppy head, this brew may fool the freshman college student or beer neophyte, but there is only one word to describe it... Bunk. If shopping at Trader Joe's, spend a dollar more for their own Frugal Joe's Ordinary Beer. There is good reason tragic alcoholics drink mouthwash instead of this.

Rating: 0.1 / 5

Trader Joe's Large Brown Cage Free Eggs (12 eggs)

Item Purchased: Trader Joe's Large Brown Cage Free Eggs (12 eggs)
Location Purchased: Trader Joe's / 1840 N. Clybourn Ave. / Chicago, IL
Price: $1.99 + tax

Review: Trader Joe's carries eggs from cage-free, vegetarian fed chickens at half the price of any other store in Chicago.

The bizarre thing about cage-free eggs here in America, is that they all tend to be brown. Most people think that this is because the chickens or eggs haven't been treated with chemicals or fed certain foods. Actually egg color is simply a result of chicken breed and heredity. Here in America, we tend to think of white eggshells as being the norm, while brown eggshells are the natural norm. The very fact that these cage-free eggs are all brown in color simply tells me that the chickens at the farm from which Trader Joe's gets these eggs may not be caged, but they are segregated. Or, perhaps it is someone's thrilling job to sort chicken eggs by their shell color all day long. A true carton of free-range eggs would be various colors ranging from brown to pink to white. Of course, that would probably destroy the Easter industry here in America, so let's not mess with a good thing, right?

Trader Joe's Cage Free Eggs cook faster than the Omega 3 Brown Eggs I sometimes purchase at Jewel and taste better. I made a delicious 3-egg omelette with Tomato, Basil and Parmesan cheese, using butter as the cooking base. Though these eggs aren't as deeply yellow in the yolk as some other eggs, the flavor of the yolk is strong and can even be distinguished apart from the whites in a scramble. All in all, a damn fine carton of eggs at a damn fine price.

Rating: 4.25 / 5

Trader Joe's Smooth and Mellow Blend Whole Bean Coffee (14 oz.)

Item Purchased: Trader Joe's Smooth and Mellow Blend Whole Bean Coffee (14 oz.)
Location Purchased: Trader Joe's / 1840 N. Clybourn Ave. / Chicago, IL
Price: $4.99 + tax

Review: Trader Joe's has achieved an almost perfect-tasting coffee with their Smooth & Mellow blend. Made from 100% Arabica coffee beans, this blend has a subtle berry flavor, an earthy mid-tone and a clean and refreshing finish. Drinking this every morning almost makes me feel like the illustrated people on the label, but I have to take away points from my final judgment due to the fact that it is not organic or fair trade. Trader Joe's has several blends that are both, but none of them are light or even medium roast. It seems that fair traders and organic eaters like their coffee to taste like dirt. Not me. So I took the convenient route and bought the old chemical-laced (Nitrogen Flushed to ensure freshness?), exploitative prices to keep my price low coffee. This coffee is worth every cent and more... Which I would pay if the production was altered to be better for farmers and environment alike.

Rating: 3.5 / 5

Trader Joe's Biryani Curried Rice Dish Frozen Stir Fry Mix

Item Purchased: Trader Joe's Biryani Curried Rice Dish Frozen Stir Fry Mix
Location Purchased: Trader Joe's / 1840 N. Clybourn Ave. / Chicago, IL
Price: $1.99 + tax

Review: From the information on the packaging to this surprisingly delicious frozen rice dish, I have deduced that no one who is allergic to anything should eat it. (Good! More for me!) The package states that Trader Joe's Biryani is "made on shared equipment with eggs, milk, tree nuts, fish & shellfish." So basically, they make this stuff on my kitchen counter?

"Biryani," refers to any of hundreds of basmati rice dishes from India and the Middle East. Basically, it is spiced rice with stuff in it. This stuff can be various meats and vegetables, yogurt, cheese, fruts or anything else people have lying around.

Trader Joe's Biryani is a vegetarian mixture with peas, red pepper, onions and curry spice mixture added to the mix. To complement these flavors, apples and raisins are also included in the mix which brings out a strong sweet overtone. Though this is a frozen bag of rice mixture ready to be heated and eaten, you will be surprised at how fresh everything tastes. Even the red peppers are crisp instead of the usual frozen veggie sogginess you tend to get.

Rating: 4.25 / 5

Sept. 24th - Unreviewable Purchases

To be reviewed when I consume:

[ Charles Shaw 2005 California Shiraz (750 ml.) from Trader Joe's ($2.99) ]

Sept. 24th - Previously Reviewed Purchases

Saturday, September 23, 2006

Sept. 23rd - Weekly Buy Nothing Day

I decided to take a break from it all today and left my wallet in my pocket. Apparantly, the cops in Chicago decided to take a break from spending money as well. I was on the bus to work (using a transit card I purchased a few days ago... no money spent here) when two officers in uniform boarded, greeted the driver and sat down. They didn't wave a transit card in front of the censor or fiddle with coins in the payment box. They just walked on.

I have no problem with police officers getting free rides on the bus, but I can't help but feel the childhood pull of that adage we were all told. Cops aren't above the law, but they uphold the law. My only question is, do police officers in Chicago get free rides on public transportation because that is the law/exception, or because the bus drivers don't dare to say anything if they don't pay.

I'm just curious.

I just hope the officers were reflecting on all of the other things they may spend that $2.00 on instead. I hope you were thinking of all of your little purchases too. How many habitual purchases do you make a day? How many of them do you absolutely need? How many of them do you even want?

Friday, September 22, 2006

40 Consumatron.com Anniversary Party Posters from Kinkos

Item Purchased: 40 Consumatron.com Anniversary Party Posters from Kinkos
Location Purchased: FedEx Kinko's Office and Print Services / 700 S. Wabash / Chicago, IL
Price: $83.68 + tax

Review: The breakdown on this price is a bit janky. I didn't just pay for the posters themselves, I also paid for time on the computer and one misprinted poster in black & white. It cost me $3.50 for 14 minutes on one of Kinko's workstation PCs, $0.98 for a fluke black and white 11x17 printout of the poster and $79.20 for the forty 11x17 color printouts. I know this may make me sound incredibly cheap, but I think that if you are saving the counter workers labor and printing out a significant number of sheets, the computer use fee should be waived. It's not as if I was using the high-end editing functions of said computer. I was simply loading up Adobe so I could print out my PDFs. Other than that minor nitpicky thing, the employees at Kinko's were extremely helpful and unusually quick to respond to my needs today. I have been in here before printing things for work and I am used to blank stares and sighs when I need help. None of that today... maybe it was happy week at Kinko's or something.

Though I don't exactly have $83.68 to throw around for paper that will hang in record shop windows and be torn down in a few weeks, I really want this one year anniversary party to be a success. More than celebrating one year of Consumatron.com, I really want people to come out and see all of the talent I've lined up for the event. It would be great if I could make a lot of money for each performer, but if working various events and offsites through my bookstore job has taught me anything, its that without adequate advertising, events are just things that happen elsewhere.

Well, this party is happening here in Chicago at Subterranean on the 15th of October, beginning at 8:30 PM (doors at 8:00PM) for a minimal cover of $5.00! Come one, come all! Bring your friends... Bring your family... Bring your stuffed animals (especially if they are paying cover)!

The posters themselves turned out looking great... Dare I say "professional?" Not too shabby for just running 'em off on a computer that everyone and their mother has used to print out term papers and pictures of their college girlfriends in bathing suits.

Look for one in a Chicago bar/music shop/cafe near you!

Or, feel free to click on the image above and print out your own copy of the PDF to stick up at your favorite locale!

I'll see you at SubT on Oct. 15th!

Special thanks to Peter Klockau for designing the poster! You should all head over to his daily comics blog, http://peteklockau.blogspot.com/. Then, you should all give him money so he will design a pretty cartoon for your advertising or entertainment needs. More reviews on Peter's work are coming, so keep an eye on Mediatron!

Rating: 4.5 / 5

Arabian Coffee from Old Jerusalem

Item Purchased: Arabian Coffee from Old Jerusalem
Location Purchased: Old Jerusalem Restaurant / 1411 N. Wells St. / Chicago, IL
Price: $2.50 + tax

Review: Turkish, Arabian and Greek coffee is all very similar to me. I like them all, and I don't even want to get into the international argument of who came up with it first. It is all stoned coffee brewed over an open flame in a small metal pot and poured to fill a demitasse cup. I will say that I prefer the chalkier, thicker versions of it that I am usually served when I order Greek coffee, but that is neither here nor there regarding this review.

Old Jerusalem's Arabian coffee is a bit more watery, with less leftover grounds than most coffee in this style. The flavor is strong, sweet and pleasantly earthy. I'm not sure if Arabian coffee is always sweetened or if they just assumed that I would like it that way (which I do), but I didn't ask them to add sugar. Comparably priced with almost any other Turkish/Arabian/Greek coffee in the city, this is the perfect reason to stop into Old Jerusalem during your stroll through Chicago's Old Town. Though not the best I've had, it will keep you alert so you can dodge all of the dog walkers during your walk down Wells St.

Rating: 3.5 / 5

Kefta Kabob Sandwich from Old Jerusalem

Item Purchased: Kefta Kabob Sandwich from Old Jerusalem
Location Purchased: Old Jerusalem Restaurant / 1411 N. Wells St. / Chicago, IL
Price: $5.65 + tax

Review: It's a shame that one of my favorite restaurants in Chicago is in one of my least favorite neighborhoods. Appropriately named, Old Jerusalem sits smack dab in the center of the neighborhood for dog-sweater afficianados, Old Town. Old Jerusalem is worth all of the warm yapping you'll encounter on your trip though. Moderate prices and excellently executed Middle Eastern cuisine are OJ's M.O. Though I opted for the Kefta this time, you simply must try their Falafil (that's how they spell it on the menu). I hold to the opinion that it is the best in Chicago. All of the ingredients used at Old Jerusalem is fresh and devoid of preservatives, as well. Service is quick, friendly and accomodating. Open until 11:00 PM every night, this is also the perfect spot for the post-movie or pre-pub dinner.

The Kefta Kabob Sandwich contains two to three ground beef and lamb patties spiced heavily with parsley and mint. The taste is just a tad bitter, but meshes well with the fresh tomato, lettuce and tzatziki sauce all stuffed into a warm and soft pita bread. Only order the entree if you are supremely hungry. Otherwise, the sandwich is enough to fill you up and have you talking about it the rest of the night. I haven't tried as much kefta around the city as I have falafil, but I am tempted to hypothesize that Old Jerusalem also has the best in the city.

Rating: 4.5 / 5

From the Walk, Don't Run...Okay, Run... Just Don't Drive department:

September 22nd is World Carfree Day! Many of you know that I bike almost everywhere. Lately, I've been using my girlfriend's car to go to and from work because my bicycle is minorly busted (brake won't stop rubbing up against the front wheel! Arggghh!). I've been feeling guilty as all getout about it, but today's holiday is bringing me back to my roots. The World Carfree network's website has all sorts of interesting information about the World Carfree movement and today's holiday. I am hoping this holiday has caught on and is so widespread that when I leave my apartment today, I see nothing but bicycles, pedestrians and other human-powered mobility on the Chicago streets. To paraphrase Critical Mass, Happy Carless Friday! (World Carfree Network)

Sept. 22nd - Unreviewable Purchases

Purchased for my girlfriend:

[ Coca-Cola from Old Jerusalem ($1.35) / Falafil Sandwich from Old Jerusalem ($4.85) ]

September 22nd - Previously Reviewed Purchases

Thursday, September 21, 2006

Sept. 21st - Previously Reviewed Purchases (With Less Caffeine!)

Extra Bonus Fun (Ha Ha): I'm going the entire day without a cigarette or a cup of coffee. Why would I do such a self-immolating thing? It's a sort of experiment. I was inspired by Ze Frank's The Show yesterday when he hilariously brought up the idea of "Busting Cycles." In Ze Frank's words:
"Busting your cycle is where you take one aspect of your life that's more or less constant and you purposely bust it. By temporarily breaking a routine, you can often experience the world in a very different way. If you bust the right cycle this shift in perspective can often lead to elation and a sense of possibility."
Ze busted his own cycle by going to the dentist and making himself into a peanut butter, jelly and face sandwich. On a lark, I'm busting some cycles of habitual consumerism by not buying cigarettes or coffee today. It's kind of like a specialized Buy Nothing Day (don't worry, I'll get back to those soon... vacation screwed me up a bit). So far I have a headache and really want to clothesline anyone I see smoking just because I'm not, but I think I'll be able to keep things in check. You can follow my thoughts about not smoking or caffeinating on the message board over at Ze's site.
For background on busting your cycle, watch yesterday's episode: Click.
To watch all of Ze Frank's The Show, set aside a couple of days and: Click.
For the message thread concerning cycle busting: Click.

Update: Today I poured the hotsauce into the bag of Bota-Nice Peanuts and mixed it all up before eating. A bit messy, but actually a better snacking experience!

Wednesday, September 20, 2006

Flavorful Fancy Sweet Cherry Tomatoes (about ye many)

Item Purchased: Flavorful Fancy Sweet Cherry Tomatoes (about ye many)
Location Purchased: Dominick's / 3145 S. Ashland / Chicago, IL
Price: $3.99 + tax

Review: These tomatoes weren't bad, but they sure weren't as tasty as the Nature's Sweet tomatoes I have purchased in the past. Some of the tomatoes had to be thrown out immediately because of discoloration and shriveling.

I tried to reassure myself that this purchase was alright because it was local produce, but I actually don't know that it was. The label says that they were packaged here in Chicago. That doesn't mean they were grown here. They could have been grown in New York City in the bottom of somebody's bathtub... which would have explained the discoloration.

The keepers did taste slightly sweet, but a little old. I'm not much of a gardener, but maybe it's not the season for cherry tomatoes.

Rating: 2.75 / 5

Bel Gioioso Fresh Mozzarella (8 oz. tub)

Item Purchased: Bel Gioioso Fresh Mozzarella (8 oz. tub)
Location Purchased: Dominick's / 3145 S. Ashland / Chicago, IL
Price: $4.99 + tax

Review: This mozzarella was a bit stringy and hard compared to the others I have tried in the past. Each small mozzarella ball was stuck to another by a small strand of itself where the processing machine obviously missed a cut, erasing the illusion that this cheese was hand processed.

After halving each mozzarella ball and putting it into my signature Caprese Pasta Salad, it still did the job and added the right flavor where it should have been. I would have preferred a softer consistency in the cheese, but I will give Bel Gioioso the benefit of the doubt and try them again. Based on my past experience with their products, I am assuming that this tub of mozzarella was just a fluke.

Rating: 3 / 5

Orange Frosted Sugar Cookies from Dominick's (10 pk.)

Item Purchased: Orange Frosted Sugar Cookies from Dominick's (10 pk.)
Location Purchased: Dominick's / 3145 S. Ashland / Chicago, IL
Price: 3.69 + tax

Review: I wouldn't usually buy these things, but I have to admit that I like them. My girlfriend routinely buys these things and she happened to be with me while I was at the grocery store. She pointed them out and what other choice did I have but to buy them? (the things love will make you do, eh?)

I'm not saying I don't like this style of cookie... I do. The dough is halfway between flakey and mushy and the frosting has no flavor but gristly sugar. Eating one of these cookies is what I imagine mixing equal parts chalk dust and sugar to be like. A residue of dough and sugar remains in your mouth for a while after eating one, but the worst part about these cookies is that they melt in your mouth and go down so easy that I find myself finishing the entire package before realizing that my throat has seized up with doughy orange mush. I don't mind the occasional unhealthy sweet snack, but I try not to buy the ones that I tend to stuff down my throat like Play-Doh into a mold.

Rating: 3 / 5

2-Pack of Aquafresh Extreme Clean Medium Toothbrushes

Item Purchased: 2-Pack of Aquafresh Extreme Clean Medium Toothbrushes
Location Purchased: Dominick's / 3145 S. Ashland / Chicago, IL
Price: $2.50 + tax

Review: I have a nasty habit of using a toothbrush for far too long. It gets to the point where I am brushing my teeth with a piece of molded plastic that has stringy aging rockstar hair hanging off of it. I reached this point a long time ago, so while shopping for cooking ingredients, I decided to invest in a new tooth cleaning device.

Buying a toothbrush is a weird experience, but I bet making a toothbrush commercial is even weirder. As a contributer to a toothbrush commercial, it is your job to convince the masses that this extra curve or that collection of bristles will help them clean their teeth more effectively. It's all pretty ridiculous. The toothbrush industry is like MTV for oral fetishists. This or that toothbrush isn't going to help you clean your teeth any more than the other. If you want to clean your teeth, make sure your bristles aren't floppy and worn like mine were and floss every day (starting flossing is harder than quitting smoking...).

Refusing to fall for the fashion show that is toothbrush design, I bought the simple Aquafresh medium size brush. Even better, it was on sale! Better yet, two come in a pack. This way, I won't even have to leave the house when my toothbrush starts making tapping noises on my teeth!

Rating: 4 / 5

Safeway Brand Paper Towels (8 rolls)

Item Purchased: Safeway Brand Paper Towels (8 rolls)
Location Purchased: Dominick's / 3145 S. Ashland / Chicago, IL
Price: $5.99 + tax

Review: Okay... I'm a value whore... I ran out of paper towels, and instead of going to a linens store to buy some towels or rags like I said I was going to, I made a bee-line for the largest and cheapest collection of paper towels available.

Hmm.... maybe I will make some kind of paper towel art... My new apartment still has nothing on its walls. If anyone would like to make some paper towel art for me to hang on my wall, please let me know.

Rating: / 5

2 Packages of O Organic Penne Rigate Pasta (16 oz. ea.)

Item Purchased: 2 Packages of O Organic Penne Rigate Pasta (16 oz. ea.)
Location Purchased: Dominick's / 3145 S. Ashland / Chicago, IL
Price: $2.00 + tax ($1.00 ea.)

Review: I didn't buy these bags of pasta because they were organic. I bought these bags of pasta because they were the cheapest penne noodles on the shelf. Dominick's line of O organic foods always seems to be the cheapest on the shelf. I am immediately suspicious of anything that is priced at bargain-basement price, but I'm also wondering if this line of items is helping the average convenience shopper to rethink their eating habits. I'm assuming most people buy the O line of foods for the same reason I bought these... Value. Dominick's probably invested in an organic line of foods to cash in on the organic craze that seems to be hip and huge now days, but I know for a fact that there are a lot of people who don't have the time or resources to examine the health benefits of organic foods. Usually organics are more expensive, but with these affordable options, my hope is that at least a small number of people stop to think about organic food and its benefits. Maybe a percentage of that small percentage will even go so far as to look into buying and eating local produce and foods. Maybe an even smaller percentage will give a moment's thought about a more sustainable way of producing and marketing foods.

The taste of this pasta is almost indistinguishable from other boxed pasta products. The one noticeable difference is that you don't get that chalky film on your noodles once you are done cooking it. Even without rinsing in cold water, like many people do, this pasta tastes as fresh as a dehydrated and packaged pasta can. There is no comparison to fresh or home made, but this is an affordable and slightly healthier option.

Rating: 3.75 / 5

Star Extra Virgin Olive Oil (25 fl. oz.)

Item Purchased: Star Extra Virgin Olive Oil (25 fl. oz.)
Location Purchased: Dominick's / 3145 S. Ashland / Chicago, IL
Price: $9.99 + tax

Review: The olive oil section at my grocery really confuses me. It is not a large section of shelving that is set aside for gourmet wines or top shelf scotches. It's just a little nook of oil. Still, there are bottles of various shapes and sizes ranging in price from five bucks to nearly sixty dollars. Now, I don't know about you, but I use olive oil for cooking and pouring over pasta to add flavor. I don't carry it around like a Gucci bag for people to see.

I like to think I have sensitive taste buds, but after a certain point, olive oil all tends to taste the same. As a general rule, I try to stay away from anything bottled in plastic, because it usually tastes like the oil you would collect in a pan underneath your car. Star is a great mid-range olive oil manufacturer whose product actually tastes like olives rather than a mechanical pencil.

Sure, you can get cheaper oils in large plastic jugs, but Olive Oil is high in monounsaturated fat (one of the good fats, like Santa) which is good for your heart. Olive oil was once used as a popular sexual lubricant as well. Now why doesn't the health food industry use that as an ad campaign?

Rating: 4 / 5

The House On The Rock reviewed on Mediatron Today!

I've finally finished reviewing my visit to the Mecca of roadside attractions and everything weird. Those of you who have read Neil Gaiman's American Gods may be familiar with The House On The Rock, but if you haven't been there, you really have no idea how gigantically bizarre (and bizarrely gigantic) it really is. I'm sure much was left out of my review, and some of the attractions may be out of order, but that is because any visitor to the HOTR is guaranteed to experience a joyful delerium and loss of direction that can only otherwise be achieved by illegal or X-Rated activity.

Sept. 20th - Previously Reviewed Purchases

Tuesday, September 19, 2006

Bota-Nice Japanese Style Peanuts (3 oz. bag)

Item Purchased: Bota-Nice Japanese Style Peanuts (3 oz. bag)
Location Purchased: 7-Eleven / 1350 S. Halsted / Chicago, IL
Price: $1.19 + tax

Review: Those of you who haven't tried Japanese style peanuts probably haven't been to Mexico. It's an irony that these smaller peanuts coated, with a crunchy shell that has subtle sweet and salty flavors roasted into it, are often found in Mexican grocery stores. Anyone know the history behind this? Something tells me that it has very little to do with Japanese culture and very much to do with Mexican culture (and very little to do with the majority of Midwestern American culture). I haven't seen these peanuts in many larger grocery stores in Chicago. I attribute 7-Eleven's stock of Japanese Style Peanuts to this location's proximity to the traditionally Mexican Chicago neighborhood of Pilsen

The crunchy shell surrounding the nuts has a subtle soy sauce flavor that is reminiscent of the initial flavor that a wasabi pea has before the nasal clutching spice of the wasabi kicks in. Though not quite nasal clutching, each bag of Bota-Nice Japanese Style Peanuts does come with a "free" pouch of hot sauce with which to dip your nuts in. I've been informed that some Japanese Style Peanut connoisseurs actually pour the hot sauce into the plastic pouch that the nuts come in and mix everything together. That just seems too messy to me. I prefer to fold a sheet of paper from the printer at my desk into a rectangular dip bowl of sorts and pour the hot sauce into the middle so I can individually dip each peanut. Either way, the opposing flavors of sweet, salty and nutty come together to form a flavor that can only be described as desirable and somewhat addicting.

Regardless of what part of the globe this snack food comes from, I'm glad to find something so unique and flavorful to save me from the drudgery of my staid and stale workday lunches at 7-Eleven.

Update (09/21/06): Today I poured the hotsauce into the bag of Bota-Nice Peanuts and mixed it all up before eating. A bit messy, but actually a better snacking experience!

Rating: 3.75 / 5

From the Christmas Consumer War X department:

It has been exactly ten years since parents were at each other's throats in Toys R Us aisles trying to score the original Tickle Me Elmo doll in order to preserve their children's belief in Santa Claus. Fisher Price has now announced a brand new Tickle Me Elmo doll in honor of the ten year anniversary. This one, called the TMX (Tickle Me Extreme), has three separate tickle points, rolls around on the ground, slaps its leg and gets back up on his feet when the perversion is all over. Wow. We've come a long way from Furbies. I only hope that consumer nature has evolved as well. Here's hoping there are no TMX related injuries in the malls this year. (CNNMoney.com via Boing Boing)

Consumatron.com On Dead Trees

The Chicago Tribune is going to be running an article about Consumatron.com this Wednesday, Sept. 20th next Tuesday, Sept. 26th (the article got pushed back) in their Tempo section.

It will be worth the bad pictures of me alone.

I'm not sure if the article will make me and the site look good or bad, but the reporter spent a lot of time interviewing me and researching the site, so I'm sure she's done a good and fair job on it. I can't thank her enough for her decision to write a story about the site.

Either way, it will say something. Check it out!

Sept. 19th - Previously Reviewed Purchases

Monday, September 18, 2006

Small Obsidian Coffee from Caribou Coffee

Item Purchased: Small Obsidian Coffee from Caribou Coffee
Location Purchased: Caribou Coffee / 1328 S. Halsted / Chicago, IL
Price: $1.50 + tax

Review: Caribou Coffee has been running one of those mystery advertising campaigns over the last week or so. You know the kind, where you see a dark and mysterious picture (think the image to the left without the text) and a release date. The image is supposed to create awareness and anticipation of a new product. Usually it is just asinine tactics appealing to the child in us that hates surprises. After its unveiling today, I found out that this newest of Caribou's coffee blends is an ultra dark roast which supposedly has a smooth flavor and finish.

All I taste is a coffee that is approaching the burnt flavor of Starbucks coffee. This stuff forces me to add more cream and sugar to my daily wake-up than I usually do. Great! Even more of the most unhealthy aspects of coffee drinking! Just what I need!

Though Obsidian does finish with little or no bitterness when compared to other dark roasts, I still don't see the point of roasting a bean until half the caffeine is burnt out and the complexities of the bean's flavor are all but gone. Supposedly, the beans used in Obsidian are grown in volcanic highlands where it is common to harvest the soil for landfill liners. I think that I will refer to this coffee as just that... Landfill brew.

Rating: 0.5 / 5

Sept. 18th - Previously Reviewed Purchases

Sunday, September 17, 2006

Large Black Button Down Axist Dress Shirt

Item Purchased: Large Black Button Down Axist Dress Shirt
Location Purchased: Kohl's Department Store / 2140 N. Elston Ave. / Chicago, IL
Price: $27.99 + tax

Review: Since I was taking my girlfriend out to Green Zebra for her birthday dinner, I felt I needed to spruce up my wardrobe a little. Not too much, mind you, but even I like to dress up every once in a while. I'm a faithful donner of the plain white t-shirt and naturally faded jeans, but when you wear those things every day, the outfit starts to feel like a uniform and I begin to desire something a bit more aesthetically pleasing. Not that I know what fully constitutes aesthetically pleasing. I'm pretty much a wash-n-wear kind of guy that thinks anything goes with anything as long as one article is a shirt and the other is a pair of pants.

Okay... that isn't entirely true. I can admire a well put together outfit as much as anyone. I just don't think it is the most important aspect of a person and I'd rather attract people with my personality than with my threads.

Deciding on a simple Johnny Cash black-on-black, I picked up this shirt that has a subtle line-check pattern that can only be seen up close to match and contrast a bit with my plain black dress pants. Name brands don't matter to me and though it may be organically undesireable, I do like the feel of synthetics like the rayon/polyester mix of this shirt. Kohl's was the perfect place to pick up something simple and relatively inexpensive. Most of the time, I prefer the recycling tradition of thrift shopping, but every once in a while, I like to stay in touch with what is fresh and new. The balance between old and new, tradition and progress is where the safest advances lie. Keep what works, but try new things. I know this is a ridiculous philosophy to apply to clothing, but I can't help but think of these things when I shop for clothes (which is rarely).

Oh yeah, and a part of me just wanted to look nice for my girlfriend's birthday dinner. If that's so wrong, I'm sorry.

Comfortable, roomy and well-fitting, Alexist makes simple, yet stylish clothing that doesn't break the bank. This shirt is proof. Even if you don't think so, I think I look pretty damn good in it. Not that it matters all that much in the grand scheme of things. The best part is, it is just a shirt. I didn't join a frat or start snubbing my friends because of it. I just became comfortable enough to wear this shirt two days in a row while still having some of my hard-earned money left over to use for more essential purchases. Yay!

Rating: 4 / 5

Ceramic Bowl From Kung Fu Chicken

Item Purchased: Ceramic Bowl From Kung Fu Chicken
Location Purchased: Kung Fu Chicken / Renegade Craft Fair / Wicker Park / Chicago, IL
Price: $25.00 + tax

Review: I wouldn't normally spend twenty five dollars on a bowl. To me, a bowl is a bowl is a bowl. Thrift stores can provide you with twenty five different bowls for this price. The thing is, I have a weakness for buying a piece of functional art directly from the creator. I also have a weakness for handmade items that are imperfect. There is just something warm and personal about a piece of pottery or art or other product that a person spent their effort and time building from idea to completion. There is even something more to it when you get to speak with those people and realize they are good and kind people trying to make a living and communicate through a craft and art that they have an unexplainable passion for. The less steps and people between the idea and the product, the better.

The ceramics from Kung Fu Chicken are endearing for several reasons. First and most apparent is the asymmetrical qualities of the plates, bowls and cups. Each item reminds you of the innocence of a child who picks up a block of clay to create aesthetically rather than to make something that will instantly in high demand. The craftsmanship put into each of these unique pieces may not be instantly apparent, but the attitude that says "I don't need a mold or machine to make something to hold my cereal and/or car keys when I'm not using them. All I need is to get my hands a little dirty and try" shines brighter than the protective layer of dishwasher safe glaze on each one. Many of KFC's items contained amorphous drawings of a cross between an alien and a robot. The sad little creatures on this bowl will be sure to make me smile every time I eat a bowl of cereal or grab my keys while I am heading out the door in the morning.

The attitude of trying was prevalent at the Renegade Craft Fair this year. Though a few self-righteous, exploitative hacks were present, most of the participants contained that childlike love of creation that any good crafter contains. If you missed the show this year, you really missed something special. I, luckily, got to bring a few special items. More importantly, I was able to communicate with the creators on a relaxed level. Seeing this many creative and happy people in one place at one time gives me hope that the world can be rebuilt as a beautiful and useful place.

Rating: 4 / 5

Six 1" Buttons from The Sweetie Pie Press

Item Purchased: Six 1" Buttons from The Sweetie Pie Press
Location Purchased: Sweetie Pie Press / Renegade Craft Fair / Wicker Park / Chicago, IL
Price: $5.00 w/tax

Review: As I said in the previous review, almost every booth at the Renegade Craft Fair had buttons for sale. Sweetie Pie Press, however, had nothing but one-inch buttons for sale. Just a table completely full of one inch buttons with all sorts of designs and artwork on them. From original designs to found object designs, simple text to stock photography pictures, every day items to the exotic instrument, Sweetie Pie Press' table was littered with buttons of all shapes, sizes and beauty. I could almost picture the woman who I bought these buttons from sitting at a cluttered kitchen table randomly cutting and fitting pieces of paper into her button-maker, churning out tiny one inch circles of wearable art and expression.

The bicycle button was for my avid cyclist of a girlfriend and the accordian button was for my avid collector-of-pop-ephemera (including accordians) friend, Pete. The remaining four were for me. Three of them reflect rules I try to live by and the fourth was just a kick ass little picture of an old typewriter.

Check out Sweetie Pie Press' website and get some truly cool pieces of flair: Sweetie Pie Press.

Rating: 4 / 5

Two 1" Buttons (Spray Paint & Veggies) from Ben Claasen

Item Purchased: Two 1" Buttons (Spray Paint & Veggies) from Ben Claasen
Location Purchased: Ben Claasen / Renegade Craft Fair / Wicker Park / Chicago, IL
Price: $1.00 w/tax

Review: If there was one product you could find at almost every booth at this year's Renegade Craft Fair, it was buttons! Most booths were selling their one inch buttons for a dollar a pop, which I think is a bit on the high end, but Ben Claasen III was selling his for fifty cents a piece. Known primarily as a comics artist who illustrated Wil Wheaton's book, Dancing Barefoot, Ben's style is sparse and bold. His comics don't resonate with me as particularly funny or engaging, I do like his drawings, paintings and stencils (All of which can be viewed on Ben's website). For some reason, Ben's simple buttons that simply label the image drawn on them stuck out to me. Like flash cards for button-obsessed adults, Ben's buttons are an exercise in mundanity-turned-kitschy-turned-cute. The two I purchased ("spray paint" and "veggies") were for my friend Josh and my girlfriend respectively because I found the idea of wearing an aspect of your personality on your sleeve, lapel or bag not so much telling as it is a conversation starter. Irony and simplicity work well as thoughtful gifts sometimes.

Show some support for independent comics artists by heading over to Ben's website to check out more buttons and artwork in his admittedly "badly drawn" style: Bendependent.com

Rating: 3.5 / 5