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Q & A: A Novel

2009-01-02T08:01:00.001+07:00

Great book

You might say that at times this book could be "over the top" or have too many coincidences, but the story is really about luck and the lives of people around the main character, how they affect him and how he affects them. I love the way the book is set out - each chapter is an individual and amazing story that somehow in the end is important and makes a big difference in the course of the main character's life. The story takes us all over India (which was great to me because I have recently been to India and recognized many places, scenes and features of their culture). I think this is an amazing debut novel and everyone should read it if they have, will or want to see the movie.

Better than any movie!

Will go see "Slum Dog Millionaire" but will bet it won't be as good as this book. "First Novel" efforts are often an authors' best effort and that may be true here. We will see. Let us have more to judge! "Q+A" managed to be frank, yet funny, and offered a view of Indian life that this westerner could relate to. We are not so different!

A clever plot that keeps your attention throughout

Ram Mohammad Thomas is a boy from the Indian slums who has entered a "Who wants to be a millionaire" style television quiz show. Despite his lack of formal education, his life experiences have perfectly equipped him to answer each question that comes up. Because the show's organizers are sure that he must have cheated, they ask him to explain how he was able to answer such difficult and obscure questions. Each chapter deals with another question and answer, and as the book progresses his very colorful life story is also gradually revealed. This is not the most well written book I've read, but the way that the plot unfolds is very clever and keeps the reader's attention throughout. As each question is revealed, you can't help thinking "okay, now how is he going to integrate THIS into Ram's story?" and it's fun to see the way that he does, while also advancing the central plot. Slumdog Millionaire tears along at a quick pace: some parts are very amusing while others are very sad, but Swarup doesn't dwell on either. The way it all comes together at the end is highly contrived, but does make for a satisfactory conclusion. If you enjoy books about India, there are other books that are more realistic or better written (I especially recommend the wonderful and highly moving novel "A Fine Balance"), but this is an easy and entertaining story that captures much of the essence of this fascinating country. UPDATED 12/27: I have now seen the film Slumdog Millionaire. While the film has the taken the central theme and structure of the book, it also has many differences - for starters, the hero's name. Many plot elements of Ram/Dev's life story are entirely different in the film vs the book. Essentially the film is a very simplified version and hinges on the romance with Latika, which is not the case in the book. For me, the film works brilliantly, but it is not a slavish adaptation. This book is more "the book that inspired the film" rather than "the book of the film".

started off good and became absurd!

I ordered this book because i was anxious to read it before seeing the movie. The first half of the book started off really well. Great character description, good feel for India, and exciting story... but, unfortunately, the story became absurd and completely unrealistic... this was the major downfall. If you want to read an exciting and incredible story based in India try the book Shantaram... you won't be disappointed!

Trite, juvenile novel based on a collection of stereotypes

Vikas Swarup's "Q&A" (now re-titled "Slumdog Millionaire") is simply one of the worst novels ever written. Based on the premise of a poor boy winning the Indian version of the quiz program "Who wants to be a Millionaire?" ("Kaun Banega Crorepati" in India), the novel is simply a collection of chapters that are lifted straight out of various Bollywood movies, telling a series of improbable tales. These purport to be a sociological explanation of modern India, but are in fact little more than an outsider's version of various news stories about the most gory and obscure aspects of India's dark under-belly (Swarup is a diplomat by profession, and has spent almost all his career outside India, with scant first-hand knowledge of any of what he has written about). Writing awful nonsense (in mediocre prose) about India is a sure way to get rich these days (as the west is much more interested in such tawdry stories than the uplifting, genuinely literary offerings of genuinely great writers like Amitav Ghosh and Vikram Seth). It is troubling and sad that such trash gets so much press (and is made into Hollywood potboilers too). Hopefully, posterity will know how to separate such chaff from the wheat.

Keyword : q

S-video Cable - 6 ft

2009-01-02T07:01:00.001+07:00

S-video Cable - 6 ft

why pay more for the same quality

This S video cable is a zillion times more expensive in the retail store market. This Phillips cable is of good quality. The wire itself is somewhat tangle-proof and easy to connect and drag. The male components are gold plated just as advertised.

Philips S-video?

I bought this from ClearAV but it clearly is not the cable shown in the picture and it is not Philips. It is however, a S-video cable, black in color. Bait and switch - perhaps. I will avoid buying from this vender (ClearAV) in the future. When I order an item that says it is Philips, I expect it to be Philips. I also expect it to look like the item pictured.

excelent combination of price and quality

Compare with big stores this is the same device for a more than reasonable price. I'll recommned it.

Great Cable for $$$

For the price this really is a good performing cable. The construction is top knotch and I have not had any issues with its picture performance. Would recommend.

Great Deal

I use this to connect my pc to my large HD tv so that I have a huge monitor that works great for gaming and watching videos and movies online.

Keyword : s

Find the Constellations

2009-01-01T03:01:00.001+07:00

Find the Constellations

Great Constellation Primer!

Find the Constellations is an absolutely joy to read and study. Rey totally gives modern folk, young and old, a challenge in his opening comments: "Simple shepherds 5000 years ago were familiar with the heavens; they knew the stars and constellations--and they could not read or write---so why don't you?" (Page 3) I agree, and I wonder if we have lost something--as a species, for all our technology, in not observing and questioning the night sky. This book would be an appropriate product for family time and weekend time--sharing and learning together. The illustrations are easy to grasp, and the fonts are big, easily read even for eye glass wearers. Two chatty little characters appear on select pages to add humor, additional information, and / or emphasis to given material. My favorite sections in the book: Star Magnitudes & Examples Orion & His Stars Light-Years, Explanation & Examples Constellation Quizzes Seasonal Sky Views Polaris, the North Star Andromeda Planet Finder for 2006-2016 NOTE: This book makes a great companion to H.A. Rey's "The Stars: A New Way to See Them." **People who want more "hardcore" science and meatier cosmology will not be satisfied with this simple book. Not surprising: The target audience of Find the Constellations is for children, young people, and new casual star gazers. :)

great for kids and adults

We bought this book for our three girls, along with a telescope. The book is well written. Great for the whole family. Can't say enough good things about it!

Great for young and the not-so young!

My husband has a love for the constellations so I decided to purchase this book for him for Father's day; he just loves it and so do the girls. We went camping over the summer and this was a great book to use when we were star gazing; the illustrations are just wonderful. This is a great book for anyone that wants to learn about the constellations.

I love this book!

I bought this book a few weeks ago to use for school. I wanted the kids to learn what some of the constellations looked like and how they looked in different parts of the world. I got so much more! I learned about how the stars "moved" relative to the earth and seasons, I learned how to pick our constellations relative to others I already new, and I learned how these stars got their names. I would definitely recommend this for anyone from 5 - 55. Very simple, but very informative!

Review for Find the Constellations

An excellent book for children and adults. Interactive. Fun. This books makes star-gazing understandable and easier.

Keyword : h

Canon EF 70-200mm f/4 L IS USM Lens for Canon Digital SLR Cameras

2009-01-01T02:01:00.001+07:00

Canon EF 70-200mm f/4 L IS USM Lens for Canon Digital SLR Cameras

I should have gotten it sooner

Its already been said about this lens 100's of times. I got the f4 because of the lighter weight than the 2.8. I don't shoot indoor sports so I don't miss the extra stop. This lens is super quick to focus and very sharp. Love the build quality, focus and zoom rings very smooth.

Worth every penny

This is a fantastic lens. The pictures are razor sharp, and the smoothness of the focusing is incredible. I recently used this lens on vacation in Walt Disney World and I can say it is not something you want to use as a walk around lens, but for the animal shots at the Animal Kingdom park it was the best. If you want to get an affordable "L" series lens that produces fantastic results, this is the one.

Spectacular!

After reading many good things about this lens, my wife and I decided to try it as the replacement for our consumer grade 75-300 telephoto zoom. It really lives up to all the good things people say about it. We have tested the lens on both our 5D body and 40D body. The first thing that stands out to me is the beautiful color reproduction. 'L' series lenses usually seem better than the non-L's in color accuracy (at least to my eye they do) but this one seems to have a 'pop' beyond that my 17-40 and 28-70 L series have. The sharpness is also incredible, and that helps 'pop' the image I'm sure. This is our first lens with an Image Stabilizer. It is one of those things that I never felt like I would benefit from, but now wonder how I lived without it. I was at a convention with a costume contest taking place in dimmed theater style light and was able to hand hold images at 1/15 shutter speed, F4 aperture, ISO 1600 and still get almost all images as keepers. Usually I find I need 1/30 on a good night, but preferably 1/60 at these focal lengths to have a chance. IS seems to work as advertised! In fact, between this and the superb high ISO performance of the newer DSLRs, unless you need the shallow DOF or faster shutter speeds for sports that the F2.8 version of this lens would provide, I'd say save the money and the weight and get this version. One thing I thought I might not like was the loss of the 200-300mm focal lengths. So far, I am pleasantly surprised that I have not missed it as much as I thought. The 75-300 was my 'spy glass' on the 40D, used for wild life, etc. On the crop body, the exceptional clarity of the 70-200 lens helps offset the shorter focal length by allowing a bit more image cropping while still providing a sharp result. On the full frame 5D this focal range takes on a much more candid, people shooting, medium range feel and so I haven't found myself missing the reach because the lens does not feel like it's trying to be a 'spy glass' and falling short. In summary, this lens is well worth the money. Light, sharp, excellent IS, and color quality make it a must have. -Brian

Excellent Glass

Canon EF 70-200mm f/4 L IS USM Len It was the reviews of this lens here at Amazon that made me go for it but i must say, i had my apprehensions and thought probably those reviews were biased in one way or the other but the moment i mounted it on my CANON XTI, was astonished with the colour quality, the sharpness and the speed of focus this thing has. In low light conditions, when you get below 1/15 ( even with IS ) at 200mm end, you just cannot avoid the shakes but then, this was already advertised by the manufacturers. As for results above this, each time you'd take a picture, you'd thank yourself a million times for going for the huge payment. I dont test stuff in the lab but on my pc, the results had No CA at all and the least of vignetting even at 200mm. I would recommend it to everyone going for a canon lens in 70-200mm range and if he is willing to pay the amount.

My favorite lens

I highly recommend this lens. It surprised me when it arrived that it's so small and light (I'm comparing to the EF 24-70 f2.8 L and the EF 300 f4 L). It internally focuses so there is no change in length throughout the zoom range. It's extremely sharp wide open - I've used it both for close-ups with an extension tube and for more distant shots. Got my first decent close-up of a hummingbird. The IS works so well it's hard to distinguish from shots on the tripod - it really does give you an extra stop or two hand-holding the camera. This is pretty much state of the art in lens design. If you're looking for a lens in this range, go for it! You won't be disappointed.

Keyword : l

Gonzo: The Life of Hunter S. Thompson

2008-12-30T22:01:00.001+07:00

Gonzo: The Life of Hunter S. Thompson

Mourning the Loss of the Last Great Hippie

I received this book as a B-Day present, and took my time reading it. As it does deserve careful attention. In the last few years, I have been doing some searching to find evidence of the great American Experience in an existentialist way. This book more than satisfied the questions that call into question whether we as Americans are living the lives of delusion, that all of this...the economics, status as international monster, the excess and addictions really make us out to be anything other than a poor caricature of the nation we are meant to be. So here is our anti-hero, our protagonist. What made the man stir? Was there a core to this being at all? I read the first review here, a re-publishing of the Anita Thompson note to Jann Wenner. It was a convincing enough gesture...who but his last partner could really assess the significance of the man, and does this book in fact do justice to the man. I thought, that this book must then be another idolotrous homage to a person who amused more than changed the world in which he lived. It was a difficult bias to overcome, and admittedly, it made me cynical as well. Over the course of the reading however, I realized that Jann Wenner did Hunter a great service and give him a great credibility by exposing his limitations as a person, and that the choice of format for the book as a running documentary through chronological time, chronicled by dozens of admirers, friends, acquintances et al. This approch in fact, brought greater perspective to the character of Hunter S. Thompson. whom I now believe was one of the last hippes to actually impart something meaningful. Let's consder the subtext here of the book. We see the evolution of Hunter in all its awkward unravelings starting from his youth. In many ways, Hunter was like the Holden Caufield of his day, only he knew how to have fun. What was that worth anyway, you may ask. When you have grown accustomed to the antics that made up his stage persona, you realize that it has taken dozens of people, hundreds of pages just to talk about this guy. Whatever your thoughts or impressions, that in itself is an achievement. But in terms of significance, we again realize that Hunter revived and gave noteriety to the fact that writing itself can be an artform. More important than the facts themselves, (as typically the measure of a journalist), Hunter managed to weave a fictional, hyperbolic and comical interpretation of reality in order to lift and polish the essential, more intuitive meaning of the matter at hand, whatever that happened to be. So what if this man stopped growing at the age of 17. For every decade that he lived, he aged one-year. And perhaps as the anti-hero of the story he wrote through a variety of books, essay's and columns, he struggled to keep his sense of adolescent entitlements. He started off as a narcissitic teenager, graduated on to being the motley renegade, serious student of local politics, party-crashing celebrity and icon, and then, as he had to graduate and face the world where he could no longer run amuck....took his own life upon realizing that the game was up. In an epic warrior story, he send himself away when he can no longer carry on the great fight. Most artists do little but dimension a problem. Some drawn to the absurdity, others enjoy the ranting that gives them release. Hunter, sought to impart of philosophy for the underdog. "Don't take any guff from these swine." For him, I gather it was about the righteous struggle and he didn't mind enjoying himself along the way. We see then, that Hunter did in fact carry forth the great works of authors that inspired him including Hemingway, Conrad, Fitzgerald, Wolfe and others. His method, albeit grotesque and shocking were humanistic pieces in that, at the heart of it all was coping with the fear and loathing. Hunter understood that journalism had exposed the hypocrisy of Nixon and the corruption in the establishment. He never forgave the people who inherited the torch of the idealistic tradition that is American by origin. This infidelity caused him great concern and he was patriotic to the end. The book does a phenomenal job of sharing Hunter from those who loved and tolerated him. It shows us that in fact our country had spawned great talent in the way of the early 20th century authors, some American had further developed the art of writing, a powerful force for implementing change at the fundamental level. That Hunter was an American, complex by nature as a teenager in denial of the responsibilities ahead, had in spirit at least inspired others to recognize that it isn't necessarily what your doing as much as it is about how you go about doing it. I thoroughly enjoyed the book and think that the contributers did a great service of bringing out the Hunter that meant something to them, rather than limit the mans significance to that of a pimple on the a$$ of the American Dream.

The Reality of Hunter S. Thompson for all to read

Hunter Thompson (HST) was born and raised hell in Louisville, Kentucky. His incorrigible ways led him to the military via a criminal judge's orders. Many of his childhood and college friends made a living by the written word and, after fulfilling his enlistment agreement, Thompson joined them. Only, his way was different. It seems that Thompson looked at the world through a kaleidoscope, stopping occasionally to pull his eye away and see a reality he didn't know how to change. The need for change he put into words in a way only he knew. Drugs were a part of his life from an early age-and whether he did them because life was crazy, or he made life crazy by taking them-is open to opinion. Either way, drug use influenced, and impeded, his writing. Friends, editors, movie stars, a small-town sheriff, wives, a son, assistants and cocktail waitresses all had stories to tell. Some make you thankful you didn't have to deal with the troubled and troublesome man. Others illuminate his intelligence and sense of humor. The writer, who could be both fearless and fearsome, was vocal when greed and politics stood in the way of world order as he saw it. The list of celebrities he encountered and befriended is long and varied: Johnny Depp, Jack Nicholson, Jimmy Buffet, Sean Penn, Ed Bradley, and George McGovern, just to name a few, and all have stories of HST. While the drugs may have fueled his stream-of-consciousness writing, it also interfered with his relationships. A fair-minded man at heart, Thompson could be abusive and a serious irritation when his mood of the hour didn't match the task of the day. Contributors to the book have many impressions of the writer. So many opinions that it is evident Thompson was a complex man who influenced, affected and stimulated all who encountered him. Gonzo, The Life of Hunter S. Thompson reads like a published wake, recorded so no one forgets the bigger-than-life, flying-by-the-seat-of-his-pants outrageous man. The story is definitely worth the price of the ticket. Armchair Interviews agrees.

GONZO

I haven't finished the book yet but it is very capitvating.I think that Hunter was a very interesting man.I look forward to reading everything there is about him & everything he wrote.thanks mjb

A must read for Thompson fans

If you're a fan of Dr. Hunter S. Thompson, then this is a must read. Although it unveils some sides of the journalist that aren't pretty, this book gives the reader a great sense of Thompson's personal life and a chance to find out how real all of his stories were.

A Profile of Extremity

This biography of the journalist/writer Hunter S. Thompson clearly shows a man who was by turns sociopathic, assaultive, hilarious, obnoxious, incoherent, and brilliant--and this was to his friends! What amazes me is that he had so many friends, ones who stuck with him and still harbored affection for him, long after break-ups, divorces, and betrayals large and small. Somehow, there was enough in this creator of a new brand of journalism--with the author as necessary and intentional part of the events as they unfolded--to engender loyalty and forgiveness among a wide range of people. That he was multiply addicted to drugs (alcohol notable among them) was central to his lifestyle. In itself, this is hardly unique, but I can't recall another personality who indulged on an everyday basis to the extent that he did...and still be able to function. Unsurprisingly, over time, he wasn't--and his real genius imploded in a caricature of himself. At this point, his many friends seem more enablers in his suicidal extremes than anything else. The book is structured as reminscences by people who knew Thompson at various stages of his life. This provides an interesting and quasi-objective view of the man, as enough different perceptions and experiences are brought in, that no one image or "take" predominates over the others. That said, there is remarkable agreement among the various voices recorded in the book, especially with regard to Thompson's brilliance and his self-destructiveness. This book strikes me as an honest and clear accounting of Hunter S. Thompson's life. At many points through the reading of this book, I laughed out loud; whatever else he was, Thompson had unparalleled chutzpah--who else would have gone to a fancy restaurant with an ultra-rich person he'd never met, and bring along his own "dinner"...in the form of a maggot-ridden piece of liver?

Keyword : s

Western Digital My Book Essential Edition 1 TB USB 2.0 External Hard Drive WDH1U10000N

2008-12-30T21:01:00.001+07:00

Western Digital My Book Essential Edition 1 TB USB 2.0 External Hard Drive WDH1U10000N

DO NOT BUY...DONT TAKE THE CHANCE!!

I lost all my pictures and iTune music. After I backed up my computer, I noticed that all my music and pictures (Over 5,000 pictures) were GONE!! I couldn't find them on the new external hard drive, and they were no longer visible on my computer. They were gone..lost. I had to buy a program ($100) to restore lost/deleted items. I wouldn't take the chance of setting this external hard drive up to your computer (to back it up), and then having it move or lose your important. DO NOT BUY!!

2nd bootup was last connection

Boot one the get to know you boot and format to NTFS. Boot two was back up all my photos. Third boot, now the PC won't recogize the drive. No PC problem here, just a bad WD external drive. One hour of testing, two PCs, two cables, searching the WD website, a phone call to India, more testing, reading my address to India three times - you get the idea. I'm very disappointed. Now they tell me that eventhough the warranty is well into 2011 and the drive is about 35 days old I need to pay for shipping! Sheesh!

Awesome product

This device is fantastic. Not only is it large enough to hold all of our videos and music, it also writes fast! There is little to no delay in moving files, or writing new ones to it. Excellent product!

Slower than molasses!

I purchased one of these for my business & it's awful! Because we are constantly working on one program (scheduling & billing) this works constantly too & locks up my computer. I am tossing it in the garbage.

great so far

It worked right out of the box. It's very quiet. I haven't had it long enough to see how well it holds up over time.

Keyword : 1

The Stars

2008-12-29T16:01:00.001+07:00

The Stars

The Stars; A New Way to See Them

This is a great book for beginning star gazers. It is easy to read and does not overwhelm me with scientific information...just helps me find the stars and constellations and learn their names.

Truly useful

I got this book to use with a sixth-grade class. My subject is mythology, and I hope to use some of the constellation drawings as a starting point for an art project for them. I have no real interest in astronomy, but this book is getting me more interested. The drawings do help you remember which stars are in which constellation, and the mythological snippets are good. The tone is warm without being condescending to kids. This book was a real find.

Best teaching astronomy book

The book is fun and easy. It is as good for adults, like me, as it is for any youth interested enough to use it. I have had more fun using it than any of my three large telescopes. If you want to be able to go at night, look up and "know" the sky this book is a must. The constellations are drawn with shapes that make prefect sense. Once you use the book to find the shapes in the sky you will be able to find them on other nights without any problem because the shapes make figures that are very easy to remember. Taking the book out for 10-20 minutes a week is enough to learn the whole sky in less than a year. The only reason for it to take that long is because it takes a year for all of the constellations to cycle through. Anyone using this book will visually know the sky better than more than 90% of professional astronomers. Now when I go out at night and look up, it is like looking at a group of old friends. You don't need to search for them you just know them when you see them. If you want to learn the sky and constellations you can be confident this book will easily teach you.

A TRUE CLASSIC!!!

I had this book on constant borrow from my public library when I was kid in the 60's. I learned the sky from this book and still use it for easy reference today. It's so well thought out and accurate that it provides a great introduction to heavens accessible to all ages. It doesn't have any color pictures from Hubble or triple fold out sky maps but just the information one needs to know to enjoy the sky persented in understandable terms. I reguard the constellations as my life-long friends due to learning them from this book so long ago. They are always there,something to be counted on, rare in todays world. I highly recommend this classic work for anyone wanting to know what those points of light represent. It will be well worth the effort.

One of my favorite books, but the planetary tables end in 2006

I absolutely love this book, so much so that I have given it as a gift a number of times and my copy is one of the most well-worn volumes on my bookshelf. Among its many outstanding features are the Planetary Tables on pp. 134-135 that show you where the visible planets will be located as the years pass. The tables run from 1997-2006. The tables in the current edition are therefore out of date (type "134" into the "Search Inside" box and look at pp. 134 and 135). I realize this is a minor quibble, and it is the ONLY reason for my 4-star rating. But these pages deserve an update. There are easy ways to get planetary information on the internet but it would be nice if the tables were updated in the book.

Keyword : h

Nikon Camera Case for Coolpix L Series Digital Cameras

2008-12-29T15:01:00.001+07:00

Nikon Camera Case for Coolpix L Series Digital Cameras

Great for the price!

This item is great, looks very nice and is very well made for the price. It is for the larger nikon, we got this for the larger coolpix. Plenty of room in it and it has been through alot. Very nice product.

Perfect fit

This was purchased at the same time as the Nikon Coolpix camera and it would be really difficult to find a case with the same fit and storage options. Good product, durable and efficient.

Very good thing to have

I should have bought one of these years ago. I had my camera in a much skimpier case and it fell out of my bag and broke. This case is much better padded and the clip lets me attach it to the inside of my bag so it can't fall out. Has room for extra batteries and memory card. I wasn't happy with my Nikon Coolpix camera so I returned it and got a Canon Powershot instead and though the Canon is a bit bulkier than the Nikon it still fits in the case just fine.

Three stars when used with a Nikon L14

I bought this case for an L14 and would have rated it a 4 or 5 but for a serious disadvantage - the on/off button presses against the side of the case and the camera sometimes switches itself on. This can run down the batteries or even result in damage to the camera's optical system. Things I like about this case include: . The price is quite reasonable. . The camera fits easily into the case. . The case has room for extra batteries and memory. . The belt loop will not slip off a belt by accident. . The camera stays firmly in the case. . The padding provides some protection for the camera. . The case is usable by other cameras in this series. Things I don't like include: . The L14 tends to switch on while in the case. . The case is bulkier than it needs to be. . The soft case doesn't protect well against protrusions (such as a table corner). . I would have preferred a different color such as black.

Missing Item

The picture and product indicates that the camera strap would be included with the case (every other one is included) and this one did not have the strap.

Keyword : l

Guess How Much I Love You

2008-12-28T11:01:00.001+07:00

Guess How Much I Love You

Great book! Sweet, loving, and beautifully illustrated

I think this is a lovely book, with a simple, sweet story line, pretty pictures, and, best of all, a real way to connect with your child. Some of the reviewers seemed offended because they felt that the 'game' the father and son are playing in the book (seeing which one can express his love for the other best) is competive and somehow wrong. Everyone is entitled to opinion. Personally, I remember my little brother playing this game with my mother, and he loved it. It was a confirmation that Mother loved him, not a challenge from him or a sign of aggressive behavior. As children, we love to be told we are loved, and, what's more, we love to express affection, which is what this book is about. That being said, I'm not going to say this will be your or your child's favorite book. For example, my younger brother loved this book, but my little sister never showed interest. My daughter is currently too young to understand it (she's not yet four months old), so I don't know about her yet...but I do know that I think the reviewers who were negetive about it were interpreting it incorrectly or simply forgot that every child is unique. Every child, as every parent, is different, and different books appeal to different people. But I do believe you will enjoy it, at the very least, and that your little one will probably too...go ahead an buy it! I think you'll be glad you did!

Touching and just plain sweet

My 1st son is well beyond the age of getting bedtime stories from Mom, but I was reading this to his little brother the other night and I glanced up and saw him sitting on the floor in the hallway listening. Later he told me it had been his favorite story when he was little because the end where Big Nutbrown Hare tells him she loves him to "the moon and back" always made me get teary. Thats the kind of book this is, a sweet enduring tale of the all encompassing love a child and parent have for each other. This book is the most touching testament to this devotion I have ever read..and it STILL makes me tear up at the end.

Great Book To Show Someone How Much You Love Them

What a great book. This children's book is filled with fun examples of instances of Love. It grants a child a clearer picture of the deep love a parent has for a child. I would recommend this for ages 4-6. Enjoy!

My daughter loves this book!

I think it is really cute too. I just hate saying the repitious words, "Big Nut Brown Hare" and "Little Nut Brown Hare" throughout the book. But a great little story. Especially for bed time.

Favorite Book - Thought it wouldn't be...but it is.

I received this book at a baby shower and didn't think much of it. However, my baby boy has favored this book since his birth. It is just the right length, so he doesn't get fussy, and he likes the voices I've made for the the hares. I cannot stress enough that he never fusses when I read it and is completely tuned into the book. I don't know why, but I'll take it.

Keyword : i

Premium Gold Series 6ft / 2m Hdmi 1.3 Certified Cable for Ps3, Blu-ray

2008-12-28T10:01:00.001+07:00

Premium Gold Series 6ft / 2m Hdmi 1.3 Certified Cable for Ps3, Blu-ray

The best deal for the Price

What more do you want? A great gold-plated HDMI cable certified for v1.3. Blu Ray at 1080p 24 frames works excellent on this cable and I haven't observed any performance issues whatsoever.

Great Cable

I worked in home theater for two years and was forced to really push the Monster cables out. What people don't realize is how much overly priced these cables are. Not because all cables are the same, but because of what it costs them to manufacture vs. the cost on customers. Monster cables are more than doubled in price from their actual cost. Now I won't go into the whole "digital: it's either all there, or not at all" debate because the real fact is that it is more complicated than that. If you want tips at cables, one of the single most important things to consider is 1) Does it have an HDMI logo? This is actually quite important because a lot of cheaper imitators although may work, the percentage of successful products is much lower and less supported. The second thing is 2) How well is the cable built? Best Buy's Rocketfish cables are much cheaper than monster but I can't tell you how much trouble our installers had messing with them because the cables easily came apart. I have not only bought these cables for myself, but for a bunch of other friends as well, and these work just as well as any other high end cable. Logo is there, build quality is descent. Don't worry so much about spending 30+ bucks on HDMI unless it is for a considerable distance. Even then it seems a bit steep to me.

I am not going to spend a lot for an HDMI cable :)

[Anyone remembers the old "I am not going to spend a lot for this muffler" commercial?] [NOTE: I bought TWO Premium Gold Series cables and I actually took home one Monster cable at one time so maybe I know what I am talking about :)] Just in case someone may feel guilty for not paying a lot more for, basically the same thing, let's look at our top of the line offer, Monster HDMI 1000HD Ultra-High Speed HDMI Cable (2 meters) and do a quick comparison. The Gold Series item supports the HDMI 1.3 standard. Any HDMI 1.3 cable can carry up to 10.2 Gbit/s. Hmmm... I suppose the Monster is much better, right? Well... it "guarantees a certified cable bandwidth of 10.2" Okay, but the Monster also supports "x.v.Color, and Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD". It turns out that, all of the above, and more, are part of the HDMI 1.3 specs and they are fully supported by every cable that complies to the standard and can be had for about 95% less in the Premium Gold. The expensive brand presentation simply enumerates the HDMI 1.3 specs as if it being HDMI 1.3 compliant was a really big deal. It is not a big deal. Even a cable that costs 95% less is HDMI 1.3 compliant. My suggestion: if you think that the proponents of the expensive brand have a point when they claim that their product is a lot more durable, buy TWO Premium Gold wires and still pay almost 90% less than you would pay for one of the expensive ones. My personal experience: I've never paid 'a lot' for an HDMI cable because it makes no sense to pay more. I took home one of the 'expensive' ones once because the salesman promised to take it back if I wasn't amazed by the difference. It made zero difference and I returned it. ________________________________________ The following are the HDMI 1.3 specs and any certified HDMI 1.3 cable is going to support them. Maximum signal bandwidth (MHz) 340 Maximum TMDS bandwidth (Gbit/s) 10.2 Maximum video bandwidth (Gbit/s) 8.16 Maximum audio bandwidth (Mbit/s) 36.86 Maximum Color Depth (bit/px) 48 Maximum resolution over single link at 24-bit/px 2560Ã1600p75 Maximum resolution over single link at 30-bit/px 2560Ã1600p60 Maximum resolution over single link at 36-bit/px 1920x1200p75 Maximum resolution over single link at 48-bit/px 1920Ã1200p60 sRGB YCbCr 8 channel LPCM/192 kHz/24-bit audio capability Blu-ray Disc video and audio at full resolution Consumer Electronic Control (CEC) DVD-Audio support Super Audio CD (DSD) support Deep Color xvYCC Auto lip-sync Dolby TrueHD bitstream capable DTS-HD Master Audio bitstream capable Updated list of CEC commands (only on HDMI 1.3a,b,c)

Looks Good!

I have no other HDMI cables to compare this to, but you know what, I'm very happy that I went this route. I had this since September and I had no problems. I'm using this with my HD cable and my Sharp 32" TV. HD channels looks great, crisp. It's best to buy this and not the $60+ cables.

Only good for certain tvs

I was tempted by the price and since I was purchasing a PS3, i wanted to get the most out of my system. I figured, what the heck, the price makes it worth a shot. How wrong I was. Just a few months ago I spent a pretty penny on a 50" 1080p plasma. I wanted my new PS3 to look the best it could with HDMI. However, the problem I ran into was when I tried to display 1080p signal. The cable displayed 480p, 720p, and 1080i just fine. Im sure I cant even tell the difference between the 1080p/i, but I wanted the best. There was noise and signal loss when using 1080p, so be warned. If your TV doesnt display 1080p, no worries, but if it does, pay a little more for what its worth. It was delivered promptly and neatly packaged, if that counts for anything.

Keyword : 1

I.O.U.S.A.: One Nation. Under Stress. In Debt.

2008-12-27T06:01:00.001+07:00

I.O.U.S.A.: One Nation. Under Stress. In Debt.

Hope is not a strategy

The authors "reverse engineered" this book from the documentary film I.O.U.S.A. that debuted (first cut) at the Sundance Film festival in early 2008 and opened (final form) at theaters around the country on August 21. The film was in turn conceived of as a way to publicize the message of an earlier book, "Empire of Debt: The Rise of an Epic Financial Crisis," William Bonner and Addison Wiggin, John Wiley & Sons (2006). See my review, which was lukewarm because the authors offered no solutions for the problems they diagnosed. (I prefer solutions to gloom and doom.) Along the way, U.S. Comptroller General David Walker (now president and CEO of the Peterson Foundation) and Robert Bixby, President of the Concord Coalition became involved in the film and Walker wrote a foreword for the companion book. Walker and Bixby were the prime movers of the Fiscal Wakeup Tour (2005-2008), by the way, which conducted town hall meetings in more than 30 states (primarily on university campuses). The film shows them in action as part of the effort to put a human face on issues of "dry" economic policy. Also, Walker's thinking about four U.S. deficits (budget, savings, trade, and leadership) became the structural framework for the film. Given this complex background (book - tour - film - book 2), it is hardly surprising that the I.O.U.S.A. book lacks cohesiveness. So far as the "we are in a crisis that must be dealt with very soon" message is concerned, I would recommend the film instead. It is still showing in theaters, and will hopefully come out on DVD one of these days. That being said, the personal views and motivations of many of the financial and government people who appeared in the film are neatly captured, both in the text (a brief 94 pages) and in appended interviews (166 pages) that put the comments in context and are easier to follow. The witnesses (if that's the right word) are Alice Rivlin, William Bonner, Robert Rubin, Peter G. Peterson, Ron Paul, Paul Volcker, Alan Greenspan, Warren Buffet, James Areddy, Paul O'Neill, Arthur Laffler, and Steve Forbes, and their views are well worth pondering. As might be expected, I.O.U.S.A. draws a parallel between the economic ills that the authors and others have been predicting for some time and the subprime crisis and oil price spike leading us into recession situation that began in 2007 and is still in progress. "With any luck, we'll make fiscal responsibility hip in Washington again and inject the themes of the book and the film into the national conversation well before and long after the 2008 election." Unfortunately, things appear to be headed in a different direction right now, with dramatically eased money policy and a trillion dollar deficit in store for fiscal year 2009. Time to write another book, maybe starting from scratch this time.

I Owe Who? An Agenda in the Making!

While there is some interesting information here, I found the book sketchy and ominous in more ways than one. It offers an "objective view from all sides," which in the U.S. today means from far right to right to center right. Who is to blame for our debts? Oh, politicians, of course. There is no mention of the "starve the beast" doctrine of intentionally bankrupting governments. No mention of the many well-connected financiers eagerly manufacturing and pushing debt. There are no liberals or leftists to balance out the raving nuts like Arthur Laffer, Steve Forbes, and Ron Paul. The latter was a frightening revelation to me, a true libertarian Hayek-model Austrian government trasher. (If we could just get rid of governments, a benign force called "market pricing" will harmonize the world and we will be free!). Laffer and Forbes are simply guys who come up with scientific reasons why the rich should be richer. Forbes was born rich, is rich, and wants to be richer, so at least he is rational. Laffer is utterly immune to any sort of evidence, not a scientist but a scientistic ideologue like the old Stalinists. He is deeply concerned about attempts to tax the rich and proves why it mustn't ever, ever be done! (For God's sake, people, don't touch the rich! Everything will collapse!) Well, it's a sure way to make a good living. Rich people will pay a lot for that kind of science. The basic drift of the book seems to be that we can't afford social security and medicare. The problems are complex and difficult and nearly unfixable. Unless...pssst, we just drop those big, unfunded entitlements. Just one painful whack and capitalism is back in business! Several speakers make the case that it is "immoral" to lay such a burden on the future generations. This is when the background message hit me... Capitalism has always managed to subdivide what should be unified economic class interests into warring factions. Thus, rich white males and poor white males could unite in their antipathy to poor blacks and the liberals that help them. The main subdivision is into national groups, the illusion that "We Americans" all share a single economic interest in the "American Economy," though economies don't stop at borders. It is clear that the banks who have recently "united" with the taxpayers to rescue the "American Economy" have no necessary interest in the welfare of the nation. What this book suggests is that the next division will be generational. Ron Paul can rally young people to liberate themselves from the immoral burden of the welfare state and refuse to pay taxes to the old boomer middle class trying to rob them. Ever since FDR there has been a nearly violent cadre of Americans (Bushes among them) trying to end social security, which they regard as socialist theft of their capital. This book may be well-intentioned, but it also lends itself to this dark cause. In reality, the social trust money is already gone. The right wingers are now groping for the right words to declare the deed over and done. They will find many useful quotes herein.

Can't wait to see the film documentary DVD

The powerful people interviewed in this book really astounded me. It is a case of 'what do we do now' after reading this book and essential reading to really understand how America got to its current financial turmoil today.

IOUSA

Very worth while .Very informative , Has a great deal of information that more americans need to have in order that additional questions will be asked of our elected officials,in reguard to getting the national spending and budget in balance .

Three Cheers for I.O.U.S.A.

The construction of the book meshes well with its organization and lends itself successfully to the study of our national deficit throughout our history. Packed with figures and facts related to the federal budget, the stock market, the GDP, Social Security, et al., I.O.U.S.A is a refreshing look at the state of affairs in our county, and moreover, how it relates to the rest of the world market. A very good read for accountants and novices alike, I.O.U.S.A. will make you take a step back and analyze not only our country's spending, but our own personal spending habits as well.

Keyword : s

Matsunichi PF-8e Photoblitz 8-inch Digital Picture Frame

2008-12-27T05:01:00.001+07:00

Matsunichi PF-8e Photoblitz 8-inch Digital Picture Frame

The Long Search ended with great qualty and amazing price.

I researched for 3+ hours. :-( The key to Matsunichi PF-8e Photoblitz 8-inch Digital Picture Frame is that it has an 800X480 resolution. almost all photo frames being advertised under $60-70 have a poor resolution of 480x234 or 640 x 480. I would stongly recommend this digital photo frame.

Nice Product for the $$$.

I bought this for my mom for Christmas. It was easy to load the pics onto the SD drive and do a slide show on this frame. The pictures showed up pretty well, but some were a little hard to see (due to pixelation). The contrast ratio is a little low (IMO), but it gets the job done and looks pretty good.

does the job

I gave it as a gift and the picture is good. It doesn't have all the extra features but most people don't use all those anyway! She loved it and that's all that matters.

Not too bad for the price

This product was purchased as a gift for two relatives. They arent big into technical items so they wouldnt know if it was high quality or not but would be amazed at the process of it all. I think the looks of it was well worth the cost, the images were midiocre (but I have seen worse quality for more money!). I would suggest this to anyone. The only thing I wish were different was that it was battery operated or rechargable as it has to be plugged in. The cord/plug can be a bit unsightly unless you can set it up somewhere that its hidden.

Great Simple Easy Frame!

I got this for my Mother for Christmas, she is 81. Wanted something simple she can just turn on and watch the show. Very easy to set up, I think the picture quality is great for the price! I think I may buy a couple more as gifts and 1 for me!

Keyword : 8

The Collected Short Stories of Louis L'Amour, Volume 5: The Frontier Stories

2008-12-26T01:01:00.001+07:00

The Collected Short Stories of Louis L'Amour, Volume 5: The Frontier Stories

Louis Lamour great story teller

Louis Lamour is a great storyteller. They often have an ending one cannot envision and they are of the old school in that they almost always turn out OK in the end even though sometimes there are suprize endings. I have all 5 books of his short stories and they are all good.

Book is great!

I've read several of these stories and they're great. I'm not sure I can agree with the reviewer who said the stories are not by L'Amour. As I look at the index, I note numerous stories which have appeared in previously published versions, such as the "Ghost Maker" and the "Cactus Kid" stories. So if these are not authentic L'Amour then they weren't years ago either when they appeared under his byline. In any case, these are a great read!

Louis L'Amour

I didn't read this book. But my husband just said last night someone else besides Louis L'Amour has written part or all of this book!! The wording used in this collection is very different than all the books he's read for years. He said the book is good, but different.

Print size

These short story collections are a favorite with my 94-year-old Dad. He loves them and reads them over and over. But he NEEDS large print, and in hardback because they are easier for him to hold. This year's volume is apparently only published in paperback in the large print. That is truly a bummer, and a disappointment. Please tell the publisher to resume putting out a hardback copy in large print in the future as it makes a wonderful Christmas gift for the elderly who need a bit of special treatment.

Keyword : l

Kingston 8GB SDHC Class 4 Flash CardÂ (SD4/8GB)

2008-12-26T00:01:00.001+07:00

Kingston 8GB SDHC Class 4 Flash CardÂ (SD4/8GB)

Hey, it's a memory card!

It's a memory card. It works. The tech weenies who write three-page reviews obessing about meaningless crap need to simmer down now. This card is a good value and works just as advertised.

Works great...

Purchased this item couple weeks ago with my digital camera, so far so good. I have been Kingston's customer for a long time. Very good product.

Bad Card

I bought this card along with a Panasonic Lz8 digital camera and much to my chagrin, the card had a memory card reading error. I formatted the card but it did not help. I bought the card for a little over $10 so it's not worth my time to send it back or try to get my money back. I'll chalk it up as a lesson to not buy Kingston Memory again. I have used Sandisk in the past and they work great. I put in an old 512k Sandisk card in my Panasonic Lz8 and it seems to write just as fast as this card. I guess you really do get what you pay for!

2gb sd card

the card works great and their is no need to format it, just drop it in & go.

Great quality

It is great...very fast in starting up my Camcorder. i am using it with my Canon FS 100 and it works smooth like butter...no hiccups and very very fast start up. highly recommended

Keyword : d

5 Year Diary: Black Cover

2008-12-24T20:01:00.001+07:00

5 Year Diary: Black Cover

A great 5 year diary

I was very happy to find a good 5 year diary available. The diary came quickly, and has plenty of room to jot a few notes for every day of 5 years.

So glad to find a 5-year Diary!

After having searched for five-year diaries, I was so glad that a friend recommended that I look at this site. Once you begin keeping a diary, it's hard to quit; so glad to have returned to the 5-year format.

Good as a one-year diary as well

Some time ago I grew enamored of old-fashioned pocket diaries that seemed to be popular during the 19th and early 20th centuries. This diary, in its dimensions and page design, is as close to those diaries as I've been able to find. I've been using it as a one-year diary, which is possible because the places where one documents the year are nicely unobtrusive, so I can basically ignore them. The lines are very narrow, but the paper is heavy and the binding is sturdy. Other nice features include several pages for logging the books one has read and a page for logging places one has visited. I wish the designer would come out with a true one-year version of this diary, but until that happens, I will be very happy with this one.

The last of the diary keepers.

It's not the prettiest but for those who still like to keep a written record of their daily life it's what they can use without paying over $35 for a leatherbound or lock that they don't need once they aren't a teenager anymore! On the small side with just enough daily space to write events, thoughts etc.

5 year diary = (old fashioned + good idea) x hard to find

A friend recently digitized her great grandmother's 5 year diary from the Great Depression and she really enjoyed the project, so I got her one of these for xmas last year. Then I got one for myself. This is the only one I could find on the market, and it's very well constructed. Looks like it will hold up for 5 years and beyond. It's also sized to be portable, so deciding against bringing it along on a trip won't be an issue. I also recommended that all my friends get one.

Keyword : 5

Transcend 4 GB SDHC Class 6 Flash Memory Card TS4GSDHC6

2008-12-24T19:01:00.001+07:00

Transcend 4 GB SDHC Class 6 Flash Memory Card TS4GSDHC6

Transcend 4 GB SDHC

This is a great SDHC card. Folks looking for a good SD card at good price than this would be a good pick. I purchased this 4GB SD card same time when i purchased nuvi 760. On Garmin website the spec says nuvi 760 SD card slot can only expend till 4GB which is false. It can accept anything from 2GB+. Originally i wanted to buy 8GB which was at good price too.

sd card 4GB

Usually like to buy Kingston or Corsair products but for the price Transcend card works very good. I didn't have any problem. [...]

Works fine, but...

At this price point, I realize now I should have simply gotten an 8 gig card. I did, and it works fine, too.

Good price, good speed, no problems.

I read several reviews for different SD cards and I had some concerns regarding this card and XP. I got this card to put in my digital camera and I did not even have to format it. The card works great and I have not lost a single picture. I have never come close to filling up the card. I can take over 1500 pictures on medium resolution. My batteries will run out before I run out of memory. The price was awesome.

Just can't complain

I received this product on the date it was supposed to arrive, in the right package and in a perfect state. So far so good!

Keyword : 4

Paul: In Fresh Perspective

2008-12-23T15:01:00.001+07:00

Paul: In Fresh Perspective

Paul, Israel, and the Messiah

Granted, many people have rather passionate feelings about the new perspective on Paul, but let me say two things about that concerning this book. First of all, if you really want to know what Wright thinks about the new perspective issues, read this book and do not rely on the portrayal given by some of his opponents. Secondly, even if your mind is made up about the new perspective (or at least Wright's own take on it) you are in luck because most of this book is about other things. For me reading Paul in Fresh Perspective brought forth a lot of now obvious Pauline themes that I had not previously focused on, and more importantly it really grounded Paul in the context of Israel and his Jewish heritage in very valuable way. Wright brings out over and over how Paul, in almost any chapter and certainly every epistle, goes back to the story and beliefs of Israel, and then points to their fulfillment in Christ. From the Messianic themes in Paul, to his understanding of Salvation-history, to the contrast between Jesus as Lord and Caesar, all these things helped me see Paul in a deeper way. For all we use (or overuse) Paul as Protestants, we can not afford to let ourselves assume that we have him all figured out and works like this help as see him afresh newwaystheology.[...]

Paul. NT Wright.

Wright's `Paul' is a difficult book for me to appraise. The book exhibits much scholarly restraint, as should be expected from Wright, but other of his writings have impressed me more. He believes that the various perceptional packages that claim to contain Paul have all been inadequate, at best (or worse, constructed on fundamentally false assumptions). Of course, this view itself should not be surprising, as Paul's own contemporaries sometimes found him difficult to understand (2Peter 3:15-16). Wright identifies and explores three essentially Judaic themes as being central to understanding Paul. He hopes to redirect Pauline scholarship, and employs enough "re_[insert verb here]" language to become rather tiring (reexamining, rebuilding, rethinking, reimagining, reworking, reclaiming, etc). The text is dry and deliberate, and struck me as probably being well conceived although not always clearly articulated or tightly argued. Unless you are a New Testament or Pauline scholar, my advice is that you choose another of Wright's works.

Fantastic

This is exhibit one in what Roger Olson calls "post conservative theology": how we re-understand the scriptures in a way that leads to orthodox or evangelical beliefs without seeking to affirm ideas of early modernism that may no longer fit. While Calvin and Luther were orthodox, orthodoxy does not mean understanding what Paul meant by, for example, "justification" in the same way Calvin and Luther understood it, because frankly their understanding of the first century church and first century Judaism was not as strong as that we can reconstruct using contemporary methods. Bishop Wright is probably closer to Paul's original authorial intent than any other scholar.

Spurring me on to further study - 3.5 stars

In Paul in Fresh Perspective, N.T. Wright, Bishop of Durham (in England), sets out to place the writing, thought, and ministry of Paul in his first century context of Judaism, Imperial Rome, and Greek culture of the Eastern Mediterranean. Wright takes us on a fascinating journey into what the mind of Paul might have been like and how the particular challenges of ministering in his three-fold world affected his writings and the early church, finishing with suggestions for how we can work out Paul's methods in making Jesus' message understandable to our own world. It is highly readable and yet so scholarly that it references many unfamiliar ideas and authors. I foresee buying more books to get a better picture of the many subjects that hover around the edges of Wright's thesis. So, if you are book geek like me who loves bibliographies you will like this book. This is book is controversial in that it espouses a different take on "justification by faith" than the traditional Protestant line as espoused by the Reformers and many theologians over the past 500 years. Wright understands justification as not about how people become Christians, "but about how one could tell in the present, who God's true people were..." (p. 159). This is an assertion he makes often in this book, and he does spend time building a case for it, but his proof is not convincing. It warrants a whole book of its own with not only biblical/theological foundation, but lots of textual support which is beyond the scope of this little book. All that said, Wright's perspective definitely warrants more study of both those who oppose this teaching and other writings of Wright, because the implications for redefining justification are enormous. So, read this to get your feet wet in a debate that is raging through scholarly circles and pastors gatherings around the world as well as a glimpse into the Jewish roots of Christianity. As you read pray for discernment and use your bible b/c of the importance of the debate and its outcome.

Great Service

Product was shipped as advertised and received in a very timely manner. I would purchase from again.

Keyword : n

Air-O-Swiss AIR-O-SWISS 7145 Ultrasonic Humidifier

2008-12-23T14:01:00.001+07:00

Air-O-Swiss AIR-O-SWISS 7145 Ultrasonic Humidifier

BEST HUMIDIFIER / VAPORIZER EVER!!! SAFE for Kids & Anti-Bacterial, Anti-Fungal,

I bought this after reading a review of vaporizers / humidifiers in Good Housekeeping magazine, http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/product-testing/reviews-tests/appliances-electronics/best-humidifiers. This Air O Swiss model is different than the one recommended by GH, but it is AWESOME. It's a cold mist, so it's safe for kids / pets; I only need to fill it once a day; it is designed so that it won't grow mold or harbor germs / viruses; very fine mist & leaves no powdery residue. VERY EASY to USE! AWESOME! BONUS -- much lower energy costs than other humidifiers / vaporizers AND much more effective.

Keyword : o

Sony NP-FG1 InfoLITHIUM Type G Rechargeable Li-Ion Battery Pack for Sony W & H Series Digital Cameras

2008-12-22T09:01:00.001+07:00

Sony NP-FG1 InfoLITHIUM Type G Rechargeable Li-Ion Battery Pack for Sony W & H Series Digital Cameras

Nice

Great small battery that seems to hold a charge forever for me. No complaints. Usually carry one for a backup in case I lose one! As always SONY makes superior products in my opinion.

Fantastic deal!

This is a real 'Sony' brand battery. List price is about $50. For the selling price one normally gets only a generic battery. That makes this a great deal!

Good product

What can I say. This is original battery and it does everything it is supposed to do. The only negative is of course it cost more than third party batteries but I think it is worth it especially for the time remaining feature that comes with this battery. If you are willing to spend a few extra dollar for a quality product. This is it.

Sony Lithium,simply the best!

I have tried several different companys for Lithium batterys,and Sony is hands down,the best! I never have to worry about running out of electrodes when ever I use my equipment!

Good job

This battery is great. Seeing the amount of minutes left lets you know where you are. I use the original battery that came with my Sony DSCH50 camera as the spare.

Keyword : w

The V Book: A Doctor's Guide to Complete Vulvovaginal Health

2008-12-21T05:01:00.001+07:00

The V Book: A Doctor's Guide to Complete Vulvovaginal Health

Excellent Book

First, this text is an excellent reference tool for females AND males. Secondly, it's a friendly read. My friend was having "female" troubles. I believe that everything that is important to know is in this book. So I ordered it for her for Christmas! Boy, she'll be surprised. I may have some explaining to do, but it's worth it.

Excellent Resource!

All women should have a copy of this book in their personal library. It really covers a great deal about our bodies, our cultural-thinking about our bodies, and how to take care of ourselves!

vulvodynia information

I purchased this book as my daughter was diagnosed with possible vulvodynia, which I had never heard of. My City's library does not even have one book on this subject! The book was recommended to me by a vulvar specialist at the University of Michigan. In the chapter on pain, Dr. Stewart provides all the latest information on this little known and understood syndrome of vulvodynia, including recommended treatment. I have not yet had an opportunity to read the remainder of the book, but look forward to doing so.

Yes - buy this book!

I cannot praise this book enough. I have owned it for a couple months now and it is such a great reference tool. I wish I had known about this book years ago. I highly recommend buying this book if you can only buy one as I have read/owned/seen a handful of others and they do not compare.

This book's information is valuable

This book was suggested by my healthcare specialist who correctly diagnosed my condition, but which had been overlooked by other specialists for decades. The information is important, essential, and presented without nonsense, about health issues which have caused misery for women for many years, but have never been acknowledged rightly. The author is conservative, and intelligent, personable and a pioneer in this field. I highly recommend this book for every woman.

Keyword : v

Toshiba DR560 1080p Upconverting DVD Recorder with Built-in Tuner

2008-12-21T03:01:00.001+07:00

Toshiba DR560 1080p Upconverting DVD Recorder with Built-in Tuner

6 Weeks

Works pretty well, I have had 2 older DVDRs (both philips) This is a little easlier to use and has a smaller footprint. Pros: The upconversion works very well Negs: The remote is black and with very small printing and hard to read captions, however after a while you can find the buttons by feel due to the different size of the buttoms and the layout Price makes it a good value

Review The Reviewers

I don't often write reviews on products, but I usually always consult Amazon's reviews when making purchases, especially electronic equipment. Over the years I've seen a trend in how people make reviews of products. Those giving 5 stars usually bring out only the pros or good points. Those giving 1 or 2 stars either actually got a "lemon" or have little idea how to operate the product. Those giving 3 or 4 stars explain both good and bad points and are pretty honest in their reviews. My review concerns the Toshiba DR560 DVD recorder. After recently purchasing it, I tried it out EXTENSIVELY and ended up agreeing with VERY FEW of the major problems that the "1, 2, & 3 star people" brought up. These I have listed below. They are the complaints that I heard most about ........... 1. "Poorer tuner picture quality than their TV" --- Maybe so with an antenna TV, but mine is connect to a cable system, and the picture looks GREAT !! 2. "Hard to Scan or Preset Stations" --- Again, no problem. You select "Extended Scan"(wait a while) and everything comes in fine. If there is a problem, and some channels are missed, re-scanning does solve it. 3. "Noisy, whining drive motor sounds" --- Sorry! I never heard it. 4. "Loud disc tray mechanism noise" --- Some noise, but REALLY no more than any of the other four DVD recorders I've had. Definitely not as bad as some have described. 5. "Poor picture quality on 8 hour recording" --- Yes, it's not the greatest, but it is viewable and acceptable for some things. Again, not as bad as some claim. 6. "Fast forward is slow and jumpy" --- Well then "kick it up" to the next faster speed. It's only there to view scan what you recorded. Didn't see anything "jumpy" either. ??? 7. " Setup, connecting, and owners manual - hard to follow and do" --- Flat-out - No!- Everything is diagrammed, described, and explained quite clearly. The manual has 117 pages, so everything is covered. --- And finally --- 8. "Remote button descriptions are hard to see" --- YES ! I'll give them this one. It IS hard to read which buttons do what, but with a lamp and glasses on (or good vision) you CAN get used to it and be successful. The unit's LED display screen could be a little bigger and the recorder doesn't produce "thumbnail" images of what you recorded, but all in all, it"s a very good DVD recorder. Let me tell you, there aren't many of them "out there". And I've checked many of them out. Ya, there are "lemons" out there, and some people have trouble getting things to work, but with a little patience, time, and reading of the manual, anyone can do it! I think the DR560 is a really good recorder. It does what it's supposed to do and so far, has worked flawlessly. Worth the money.

Toshiba DR560

Toshiba DR560 1080p Upconverting DVD Recorder with Built-in TunerProduct performs beautifully and has features that are excellent,unfinalizing and erasure of DVD-RW or DVD+RW. Excellent on screen (TV) timer programming.

Overall good unit

We have owned this DVD unit for a couple weeks now. We bought it for the Digital tuner and the DVR capability. We have a lot of tapes and wanted to cut down on the space they are taking. The DVD portion works well as does the digital tuner. As some have mentioned, the menus are a bit arcane and the remote is hard to read in poor lighting. I have found it to be unable to record certain VHS tapes due to copyright protection. This is annoying. Other than that, we're happy with it and ready for the digital switchover.

Digital tuner didn't work

I bought this based on reviews as a digital tuner. I have cox cable and this unit did not see any of the local HD channels through coax as suggested. I was able to find another unit made by panasonic which did work. Once I found I couldn't use as a digital tuner I returned therefore I can't speak for the DVD player/recorders performance.

Keyword : d

Night World No. 1: Secret Vampire; Daughters of Darkness; Spellbinder

2008-12-19T23:01:00.001+07:00

Night World No. 1: Secret Vampire; Daughters of Darkness; Spellbinder

WOW is all I have to say!!!!

I started to read these books after the Twilight Collection and the House of Nights Collection and These books are just as good as these two collection I love James and Poppy This is a must read collection if you love Twilight and The house of Nights collection!!!!!

Love the stories, but its hard to get attached

When i purchased Night World i assumed i was getting several stories about a closely connected group of individuals and that they would appear in all the stories regardless that the main character differed in each of the three stories. this was not the case. you read about three stories all having to do with people who are part of Night World(vampires, witches, and werewolves), and have completely seperate lives that rarely interlace with one another. Because of this, i found it hard to get attached to the characters; something i look forward to when reading. The stories were memorable and a good read but i was disappointed that i could not get attached to the characters. So if you plan on purchasing this book, be aware that the 3 short stories, are just that. They left me wondering and wanting MORE! Sadly you do not get it. i wish Smith could write more about these characters in other books because i would desperately would like to know what happens!

Vampire Series

Night World No. 1: Secret Vampire; Daughters of Darkness; Spellbinder (Night World) Delivery was excellent for an APO delivery. Book is in outstanding shape, will have no problems ever with this purchase agent.

Wow, the wait is almost over

I also have been waiting years for this series to be re-released again. Daughters of Darkness is the best of the three, but you must read Secret Vampire first. The books are not going from the same character and their progression, they are EACH A SEPARATE BOOK ON THEIR OWN. The books are of a secret society of vampires, shapeshifters (including werewolves), and witches and the forbidden romances between them and humans. The books are short, but well-written and touching. Buy them you won't be disappointed. This series is my all time favorite. L.J. Smith is my favorite author (even though I am now in my mid-twenties...yes I am ancient). I started with The Vampire Diaries when I was in Junior High. I would recommend reading L.J. Smith's The Vampire Diaries and The Secret Circle, (but the best is the Night World Series). I would skip "Dark Angel" of the series for Nightworld. The main character is a drip. Thank you for coming out with this again. I don't think the publishers realize how many fans there really are. Thank you Twilight Tales for giving me some hope

Good short stories

I thought the Night World, Volume 1 contained three great short stories. Each story was unique in and different. Unfortunately, the didn't satisfy my need for a full story. I'm hoping in the coming volumes I will get to see the characters from the first stories interact with each other. I do like the idea of the Night World folks exsisting in our world, but following their own laws. I also think this is a good story to read if you are a fan of the twilight series or vampire/werewolf/hags/magic genre.

Keyword : l

Tripp Lite P516-001 VGA/XVGA Monitor Y Splitter HD15M/2XF

2008-12-19T22:01:00.001+07:00

Tripp Lite P516-001 VGA/XVGA Monitor Y Splitter HD15M/2XF

Works as advertised!

I used this in a school environment and it has worked perfectly out of the bag!

Great Product

This product was the cheapest I could find and works like a charm. Don't pass it because it's cheap--it's a great product.

Works as it should, with side effects

The splitter works fine, but was really unusable for me because it reduced the brightness on the monitors to a level that really made it hard to see. It's not a problem with the product itself, though -- just a side effect of splitting a signal in half. I tried using a signal booster in conjunction with the splitter, but that didn't seem to help.

Works Great!

I bought this product to split my desktop computer to my main monitor and to my HDTV in the other room. As others has said it does diminish the brightness on the monitor, but it hasn't done so on my HDTV. As I mainly use my computer on my HDTV these day I haven't had a problem with the lose of some brightness on my monitor at my computer desk. Besides for that little lost it works great as it was indented for.

More ghosts

I was trying to split my vga output to a monitor and a projector (via a 50 ft cable). I had the same experience with ghost images on my monitor as one of the previous reviewers. I'm guessing this splitter isn't designed to work with long cables. I ordered a 2-Port UXGA Video Splitter Extender (Cables To Go - 29550) which works much better, although it was somewhat more expensive.

Keyword : y

This I Believe II: More Personal Philosophies of Remarkable Men and Women

2008-12-18T18:01:00.001+07:00

This I Believe II: More Personal Philosophies of Remarkable Men and Women

Has something for everybody

This is the second NPR issue of "This I Believe". I've been listening to NPR's "Most E-mailed Stories" podcasts for a couple of years now and every Monday they include a "This I Believe" essay. I've always felt that generally speaking the stuff NPR puts out is of exceptional quality and this CD demonstrates that. You're not going to like every essay on this CD but I do think every essay will get you thinking/philosophizing about yourself and life predicaments that you have faced or are likely to face. Another bravo to NPR.

Great listening

I love this collection of personal philosophies. It's really cool to hear what people--both celebrity and non-celebrity--think is important in life. The vignettes are pretty short, so it makes for easy listening while driving or working (I put the CDs on my iPod so I can listen while doing anything). A lot of life lessons here, for sure.

I Wish it Were

I have been listening to THIS I BELIEVE on and off during the experience that is NPR over the last few years. Whilst the original THIS I BELIEVE dates back many years, the current version has been given a digital age immediacy by its ability to be there in a quick manner. The cycle between composition and broadcast has been seemingly made quicker, and often more poignant, such as the Author on disk two, Michelle Gardner-Quinn, who was murdered before broadcast, so that someone else had to read her meaningful story, and it had a vast impact at many large events because of the death of the author. On disc one, Mary Chapin-Carpenter was taught how to live one day at a time by the simple but meaningful greeting of a Store clerk as she was recovering from some problems.The Diversity in origins of the authors is evident with the inclusion of Tony Hawk, a hard working skater who is sometimes seen as someone who is still in his adolescensce . But Tony conveys his point. Susan Cook Kitteridge, daughter of Alistair Cook on disc three, heals, mends, hopes, searches, and conveys a great point.The Diversity continues on disc four with Yo Yo Ma the Musician, Criagslist founder and Faith beliefs that varies greatly. Disc 5 is far and away the best of the 5; there is an Astronaut recorded in the Space Station. Studs Terkel is recorded in his apartment only days before heart surgery. Elie Wiesel is an amazing speaker and speaks with passion, although briefly. In many respects these wishes provides utopias, or confirmation, and affirmations of current situation , or affirmations for future situations. All in all, these essays are brief, positive, to the point, and wonderfully delivered. A must for any fan of the series, or for anyone who likes positive work from people who have been through rough times and know what hard times are for the life we live.

Inspirational but overwhelming

I am a solid fan of NPR radio (they are associated with the production of this compilation), and for years I've enjoyed hearing the 3-4 minute spots similar to the essays in these CDs, as part of their daily programming. So I thought I would enjoy these CDs, but I found that too much of a good thing is indeed too much. The essays are basically back-to-back with a short introduction to the next speaker in between, and this creates run-on that can be mind-numbing after a while. Whereas the essays are certainly inspiring and interesting, I believe that a slightly longer and more definite break between each would be a better format. This would allow the listener to more fully absorb what was just heard without the editor's next intro and the following speaker interrupting that process. Maybe more music cues? Also somewhat confusing was when the editor commented on the previous speaker, and then went right into the intro for the next speaker -- there was a lag a few times for me in knowing which speaker he was talking about. I gave the compilation 4 stars simply because of the format -- I would give the content a strong 5 stars.

Infuriating, Moving, Inspiring and Annoying - Almost Always Surprising

This I Believe has a simple premise: put down your fundamental belief in 500 words or less. Inspired the 1950s radio series by Edward R. Murrow, Jay Allsion & Dan Gediman have created a collection of belief statements from a wildly diverse group of people. The people who might catch your attention are the celebrities, the famous writers and world leaders. But don't you already have an idea what those people believe? You may be surprised, but the famous essays on this collection are usually continuations of the beliefs that these well-known people are know for in the first place. The real gems are the ones from unknown people. People who work anonymous jobs, who lead unremarkable lives. These essays show the extraordinary variety and depth of the human experience, covering all sorts of topics. As a testament to the diversity of these essays, I was enraged as much as I was touched. I'm not sure what that says about my own beliefs, but some of the essays in this collection drove me insane with their inanity. Others moved me nearly to tears with their humanity. But that's kind of the point, isn't it? Not everyone believes the same thing, and a huge amount of the conflict and tragedy in the world comes from our lack of understanding other people's beliefs. Sure, I'm not going to adopt them as my own. I may even consider someone stupid for believing something. But, most of the time, I can respect their passion, even if I do not share it. The one suggestion that I would give to people who are considering writing their own beliefs for the This I Believe website: don't give us an autobiography. This is about your beliefs, not your experiences. You only have 500 words, don't waste them talking about what you've done instead of what you believe.

Keyword : i

Logitech Z-5 USB Stereo Speakers for Mac and PC

2008-12-18T17:01:00.001+07:00

Logitech Z-5 USB Stereo Speakers for Mac and PC

Great PC Speakers; Beat Competition

I'm not too keen on the "oh, I just received this today and decided to comment" reviews, but I couldn't resist with this product. My computer is a MacBook Pro running 10.5.5 (about to be 10.5.6), but this product's box reassured me it would work (instead of being Windows-centric). It did. Right after connecting it, I was impressed with the imaging these speakers provided and the frequency response. I had heard them before after hooking them up to my iPod in a popular electronics franchise, playing music which I was already familiar (having frequently played the selected tunes on a high fidelity system). They sounded great in the store, but without the background noise of Christmas-shopping customers, they sound fantastic. The frequency response is what you'd anticipate from great quality PC speakers without a sub-woofer. What sold me on these over other PC speakers (namely the Z10 and the V2 Logitech models) were several reasons: 1 - These speakers have an analog line-in should I ever decide to use an audio source other than my PC; 2 - The price was right (esp. through Amazon), with free shipping & no tax; 3 - The remote control. The Z10s were impossible to find since they've been discontinued, and the V2s didn't have a line-in. The Bose Companion 2 set were much worse than these Z5s, primarily because of their poor psychoacoustic processing. When the Bass hit hard in a song, the trebles noticeably dropped off. I'm not sure if this is a Bose "feature", but it disappointed me. The Creative Gigaworks T40 were a bit too big for my setup, unfortunately. Had they been shorter with a smaller footprint, I may have considered them. The Gigaworks T20 model was a disappointment. Sampling once again with my handy iPod, they distorted at higher volumes. When I know the iPod on max volume on the tune I was sampling doesn't distort directly out of the iPod on a higher fidelity system, why were the T20s distorting? That was not appealing. A nice surprise to these Z5s is the fact that I can use my Apple Remote and control my MacBook Pro through the speaker! In other words, the IR Receiver on the speaker acts as an IR extender. I suppose I should've realized this beforehand, but I didn't think of it. Works out spectacularly for me since my Laptop is tucked away while I drive it w/ an external monitor. Overall, a great buy. I'd highly recommend them.

Great little speakers!

I have an Asus laptop that came with lots of bells and whistles, except for the tinny speakers. You would think for $2000 the laptop speakers would be great. They are now with the addition of these Logitech Z-5 speakers. :-) Though these are external, they are small (10" H by 3 1/2" square)and very sleek looking. I also have a desktop computer with 5.1 surround sound speakers and these speakers are as clear as those. I recommend installing the software that comes with the speakers so you can take full advantage of the teeny tiny remote. You can bring up your media player, run volume, skip forward or backward, play/pause and turn the speakers on orr off. You can also connect your iPod or other external media player. One thing I would mention is to turn off the speakers before you turn off the laptop, otherwise the speakers will stay on as long as the laptop is plugged in to the wall outlet. These speakers are powered by USB; for external speakers these are about as portable and good as it gets! Definitely recommended!

Happy with the results for what I was expecting...

The Logitech Z-5 USB speakers are not going to replace my Z Cinema setup any time soon, but they're very good for what I wanted them for. The quick setup with USB is perfect for laptop use, when you want something better than the laptop speaker sound. Sound quality is adequate for desktop speakers, especially with the omni-directional sound in the mid-range. I miss the bass response of the Z Cinema subwoofer, but on the other hand, I can move the Z-5 speakers around without breaking a sweat. :) The black tower styling meshes well with today's trend towards black computer components. The footprint is sufficiently small as to not take up precious deskspace. In that regard, it's even a bit better than the desktop speaker portion of the Z Cinema setup. If I was ditching the "out of the box" PC speakers that normally ship with a new computer, I'd be very happy to replace them with the Z-5 speakers. Not so much if I were looking for a surround-sound total sound immersion, however. Again, with the right expectations, these speakers fit their niche quite well.

Very cool looking speaker for a gadget lover

I have been pretty satisfied with speaker systems from Logitech. The one I am using now is Logitech Z-680 5.1 channel THX certified speaker system and it still works great for my home theatre system. When I found about a Z-5 USB speaker, it instantly attracts my attention, since I have been looking for a nice PC speaker with a USB connection. Specifically, my 4 year old notebook computer does not generate any sound and I need a decent speaker for it. Since I am tired of having problem in the sound cord connected to the sound port of the computer, I was looking for a USB speaker system. I also know that a USB speaker gives better sound quality than a normal PC speaker on the market. I have been using USB sound devices like a USB audio interface (Line 6 Toneport UX1), a USB phone for Skype (IPEVO phone) and so on and they all show terrific sound quality. So, my expectation was high for this product. After a month long use of a Z-5, I would like to give 3 stars out of 5. Here is why. When I got this product, I was amazed by the finish and look of this speaker. This speaker is gorgeous. It has a really nice black finish and every bit of a speaker is nicely made. The tower like shape works great on the desk. When I grab a speaker, I feel very good because of soft cloth material that wrapped the speaker. I was naturally expecting silky sound coming out from this speaker, even if the nice looking case and fabric do not necessarily correlate to the high quality sound. The remote comes with it is also a real beauty and the rubber used for this remote gives me very nice feeling when I grab it. It is tiny and black. The setup was very easy. The Z-5 works without the setup CD that comes with it. Windows XP recognizes it as a USB audio device and it starts to work right away. If you use a setup CD for the installation, you will have a tiny utility that can map your favorite music player software to the audio note button on a remote. There is no other feature to adjust the detailed parameters of a Z-5 speaker. I am a type of guy who loves to change the parameters of a speaker to get the best sound for a given environment. However, for this speaker, there is nothing I can control of. I know this speaker is omni directional speaker, so I thought that I could control the ambience or surround effect of it. Wrong. there isn't any thing that I can adjust. And I am using a third party audio player software and the remote does not work with that application. So I wish I can configure the speaker with my favorite application, however, there is no way to do that right now. It works with iTunes and Windows Media Player well, though. When it comes to the sound, the Z-5 gives very comfortable sound that most of people like. The mid- and high-range sound is good and very expressive. So, if you love listening songs with a vocal and an acoustic guitar, you will love the Z-5. However, if you like the sound in all ranges equally, you might be little disappointed, since the bass coming out from the Z-5 is weak and not rich. I have tested the Z-5 with many different kinds of CDs and now I am using it to mainly listen internet radio and video files I ripped from various sources. It means that I use the Z-5 not for a music listening but for a casual use. Omnidirectional sound is working for me. I put the speaker on a desk and walk around the desk frequently. I still listen the same quality and volume of the sound in any direction. By the way, if has a regular 3.5 mm sound input jack in the back for external sound sources, such as iPod and MP3 players. Still, a USB speaker that does not need an external power source (it is powered only by a USB cord) meets my purpose and the sleek look and color of the speaker makes me happy. However, when some one pays this much money for a PC speaker, he/she is expecting better sound than this. I think this speaker is for a gadget lover who wants to put a really nice looking speaker on his desk. Yes, I love gadgets and cool looking products, so I am OK with the Z-5.

Very Cool 360 Degree Sound

I'm really becoming a big Logitech fan. Their products seem to be very high quality and the packaging is always very impressive. The Z-5s are no exception. They are a big upgrade from built in laptop speakers. They are very sleek and look great on your desktop. The 360 degree sound really does work. As speakers for a desktop computer, there are some things that might cause some people to select a different product. Among these points are the absence of bass (sub woofer) and the lack of a headphone jack. Notes: - Very easy to install. Just plugged them in and they started working. - The Omni directional sound is really cool. I thought my old speakers were working in addition to these at first because the sound seemed to come from everywhere. - Remote is really cool. - Both the sound and the power come through the USB cable so no power cord/adapter is needed. These function as both the sound card and the speakers. - Included extension cable so the speakers can be moved farther from each other. - External device input for connecting your mp3 player. But the computer need to be on to give power to the speakers. Concerns: - No Headphone Jack. I really miss this. - No Volume control on the speakers. You have to use the remote or the system volume control. - Not a lot of bass. I did notice the lower bass response with these speakers. - Portability - They are portable within the house, but might be a little too big to take elsewhere if you are thinking of taking them with your laptop.

Keyword : z

Dry Storeroom No. 1: The Secret Life of the Natural History Museum

2008-12-17T13:01:00.001+07:00

Dry Storeroom No. 1: The Secret Life of the Natural History Museum

Reflections on the past, present and future state of nature in the human world

London's Natural History Museum, a place of many treasures, offers many surprises - and natural scientist Richard Fortey provides tour of the museum unlocking not only its contents, but a lively history of the discipline itself. Chapters follow explorers, scientists, collection methods and categorization challenges, offering a fine blend of biography, natural science and museum collecting history, and reflections on the past, present and future state of nature in the human world.

Uneven - Some good parts but it overstays its welcome

This is a book I really wanted to like - I've always enjoyed museums and science and an inside look at one of the world's great museums sounded promising. Richard Fortey spent his entire adult life working at the British Natural History Museum and he has acquired a vast amount of anecdotes, history and experiences. The book is a mix of museum history, science and sketches of the people who work or worked at the museum. Some parts are excellent while others are boring or repetitive. Halfway through the book I grew bored with portrait after portrait of a museum employee who had spent their life studying some family of obscure critters. In addition, he seems to go on and on trying to justify the importance of his work and reminiscing about how things were better in the good old days; when he was young the museum employees were left to their own devices, when he was young nobody could be fired no matter how obnoxious or unproductive they were, when he was young they didn't have to seek funding for projects, when he was young they didn't have to make the museum entertaining to visitors. The book might have worked better as a series of essays (in the mold of Stephen Jay Gould) rather than a 300 page paean to the good old days. All in all, it reminded me of being cornered at a family reunion by an aged relative who goes on an on about all the details of his or her life.

The Museum, the Scientists and their Specimens

About a month ago, (September 2008) I had a chance to hear Richard Fortey himself lecturing about this book. The lecture, very fittingly, was happening in a natural history museum. As his lecture unfolded, I found myself with many of the most interesting characters that have ever contributed to natural history, both famous and obscure. I also learned about what goes on behind the scenes of the museum, and of some of the many interesting and strange specimens which are not on display, such as an "accursed amethyst" and the famous rock from Mars which is said by some to contain fossils. After the lecture was over, I went home and started reading the book, and found the written account of these things and people to be just as engaging as it was to hear Richard Fortey speaking. It is like recieving your own guided tour through the Natural History Museum of London, and even through the history of natural history. Richard Fortey shows that scientists can be very eccentric and unusual characters, in spite of their stereotype of being very dry and boring. All in all, this is an excellent book which chronicles the history of the museum, the people who make it go, and the specimens which are stored inside it. I recommend this book to anyone who has wondered what goes on inside the hearts of museums, and also to people who are interested in natural history. You will finish this book knowing much about the "behind the scenes" of museums.

Night at the museum with a personal tour guide

Behind-the-scenes look at London's Natural History Museum is an interesting peak at the "coalface"--Fortey's term for the daily work occurring beyond and below the public galleries--of museum science. Fortey describes the main work of the Museum, and its sister institutions in other countries, as systematic taxonomy--the attempt to exhaustively categorize and collect reference examples of each species of plant, animal, and mineral. In an era of hard-to-obtain research grants and declining public funding, Fortey defends this work as valuable for several reasons: --the need to find and identify species before they are destroyed by climate change, environmental destruction, or over-harvesting. --potential beneficial uses of unknown species for the biosphere, for example expanded use of natural predators as environmentally-safe pesticides. --helping future scientific endeavors by placing each species in its proper place in the taxonomy. --and ultimately, the pure aesthetic satisfaction of knowing everything we can know about the world in which we live and upon which we are dependent. Fortey spends time walking the reader virtually through the hidden corridors of each section of the Museum and using the discussion of the physical surroundings to talk in layman's terms about the science and the history of the science. Black-and-white photos in the pages with the text and color plates in the center of the book illustrate the surroundings and the collection as Fortey describes them. But most interesting are the people who work behind the scenes. The current and past scientists, curators, clerks, Keepers, Directors, and Trustees are a diverse, intelligent, and intensely fascinating lot. After describing some of the more legendary polymaths who seemed as if they would scarcely have time to indulge in their many interests, Fortey asks in wonderment: "Are we lesser people today, or do we expect less of ourselves?" Of course the Museum also has its share of misfits, misanthropes, recluses, shysters, and just plain crazy people deep in the hallways behind the public galleries, and Fortey seems to take special glee in describing them, many of whom he knew personally from his 30-plus years in the corridors. He writes with an understated, decidedly British wit and language. I'm guessing I missed some of his best jokes as they glanced off my tin American ear, but unless you get the opportunity to tour the hallways (which he compares to the phantasmagorical and never-ending castle in the The Gormenghast Novels) with Fortey in person, this book will be your personal tour guide.

Museums and Their Back Rooms

If you like visiting museums and you've ever wondered what goes on behind the displays and doors marked 'Employees Only', this is the book for you! It gives the reader a fascinating insight into how museums collect, exhibit, and store items, many of which never hit the public eye. The book is well worth reading. The insight into England's 'Natural History Museum' has a lot of stories of how it works, how it got its collections, how it maintains and exhibits them, who works there and why, how science has evolved over the years - all kinds of very interesting, miscellaneous things.

Keyword : 1

Garmin A/C Charger for StreetPilot C Series

2008-12-17T12:01:00.001+07:00

Garmin A/C Charger for StreetPilot C Series

Works as advertised

Sometimes I have needed to charge my Garmin Street Pilot 530 and had been taking it out to the car for charging prior to leaving. Now I can just plug it in and be assured it (GPS) is properly charged and is ready to take me to my destination. This product does exactly as advertised.

Garmin A/C Charger

I misplaced my original charger for my Garmin GPS and could not find a charger anywhere else but Amazon.

Garmin sells 3 AC chargers. This is for StreetPilot c3xx.

010-10618-00 for StreetPilot c310 c320 c330 c340. 010-10747-04 for StreetPilot c510 c530 c550 c580. 010-10723-00 for StreetPilot i2/3/5 and all Nuvi. GPS may charge via USB. It's slower, but save $! :-Deal

You don't need it

I don't know why you would need this. We ordered it and only used it one time. After figuring out how to use our Garmin we discovered that our model does not hold a charge, thus we cannot carry it around and use it. To use it as a GPS, it has to be in a car and plugged into the outlet there. You wouldn't really have a need to have your GPS plugged in at your home, because it isn't moving and cannot function.

nice replacement charger

i have the garmin streetpilot c320. i've had it for almost 3 years now. but the other day i left the stand on the windsheild, in over 90 degree heat. so it was even hotter in my car. the ac adapter in my car was still plugged in to the stand, and when i pulled it out, the charger part of the stand broke off when i pulled it. i love my gps, i dont know what i'd do with out it, so i had to get a replacement. i decided to get this, so i dont have to mess with cords in my car. i can just bring the gps into the house when the battery is low. its really nice not have to wrap the stiff ac cord up when i put my gps away when not using it.

Keyword : c

Photoshop Elements 7: The Missing Manual

2008-12-16T08:01:00.001+07:00

Photoshop Elements 7: The Missing Manual

Photoshop Elements 7 Missing Manual used with Elements 6

I bought this by mistake because I only have Elements 6! But it has been extremely beneficial. I was struggling with finding the appropriate workflow to do edits. I have been able to do many edits with ease following the guidance in the book. It has much information I have not yet used but it is there if I need it. The book is very well written and meets my needs.

If You Want To Learn Photoshop Elements 7, BUY THIS BOOK

Another outstanding book in the "Missing Manual" line. Barbara Brundage makes Photoshop Elements 7 not only easy to use, but also a whole lot of fun!! and now... IN FULL COLOR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Adobe has many applications that are downright intimidating to many users out there, and it's very refreshing that "Photoshop Elements 7: The Missing Manual" was created. From covering the basics of how to get around the Elements application, the author starts of with the basics of getting your images onto your computer, and the most simple of effects like rotation and cropping. From there, she discusses the all-important topic of layers and basic image retouching so you can take your digital images and make them go from good to GREAT!!! Continuing on with a look at filters and how to get your images printed so they look beautiful and/or posting them to the web or emailing them, this guide is perfect for all new Photoshop Elements users who want to get their feet web on the way to becoming an Elements super user. I cannot recommend this book highly enough. While it's a little bit more expensive than other books in the "Missing Manual" line, the price should NOT be a factor in your decision making. If you are looking for a book that will assist in your knowledge of learning how to use Adobe Photoshop Elements 6 you have come to the right place. If you want to learn more about what is included in the newest release of this outstanding application, look no further. If just want to read an entertaining book and expand your knowledge of how to work with digital imagery so you can make your images look better than ever, again you will NOT be disappointed. This is the way all books should be written: clearly, simply, and enjoyable. ***** HIGHEST POSSIBLE RECOMMENDATION

Very Good Book

This is one of the best books on Photoshop Elements 7 available. I guarantee that you will need this book if you are new to Photoshop Elements 7. The Photoshop Elements 7 software package only comes with a small introduction booklet. And I have never had success learning to do something via the "Help" files. I am also sure that an experienced user can use this book as a reference. I have been using Photoshop Elements 7 for over a week now. So far, I have found an answer in this book to every problem I have encountered. The author's writing style is excellent. It is not too light and it is not too dense.

Written in Plain English anyone can Understand

I have only used the book a few times, but things are easy to find, easy to read, easy to follow. There is a website for your comfort where you can go to get help and more information. Love the Book. I have often bought books for Elements, this one is the best.

You Don't Get A Manual with Photoshop Elements 7--this is the first one available!

Don't you think Adobe should provide you with a no additional charge manual for their new product Photoshop Elements 7? Before you upgrade to Photoshop Elements 7, may I suggest you read the reviews found about the product. The "Missing Manual" series manuals are a good supplement for what the software makers should provide in the first place. While it may be understandable that the printing of manuals costs a lot, good companies provide manuals online that you can download and print yourself. Adobe is seeking to be or at least become a loser in customer service, now or in the near future. If you do purchase PE7, then by all means purchase this Missing Manual or another highly rated manual to help you, because you will need it. So far, this manual has been helpful, perhaps a bit wordy (needed for some), and way more than what you get from Adobe.

Keyword : 7

Apple iPod nano 8 GB Silver (4th Generation)

2008-12-16T07:01:00.001+07:00

Apple iPod nano 8 GB Silver (4th Generation)

GREEN APPLE IPOD NANO 8 GB 4th Generation

great product...with even greater price. the price for this 8 GB is a little less than the price for my 2nd generation with less memory. loved the varied choice of colors, the compact size, & size of memory. all in all a great purchase.

Want the latest ipod? Here's how to get it for five bucks

Christmas is coming so save your cash! Why purchase something you can get for five bucks. Go to gifts4xmas.info and sign up. Complete ONE offer - I would recommend Netflix All companies are well known so there is no risk involved- give it a go! I got my ipod and many other things this way, so don't miss out. I was a skeptic once but now I am SO glad I gave it a chance. Many items to choose from: TVs, DVD players, Hi-Fi and many more. They send your gift Free of charge Enjoy!

I'm hooked! iPod Nano 16 GB!

This my first time to own an Ipod and I am very impressed. Solid build, small, and 16 gigs of room for a lot of music. The only downside are the included earbuds that don't want to stay in my ears. However, I still give this 5 stars. Apple produces an excellent product!

My new toy

I wanted it in blue at first because in pictures it looks really nice but when I went to the store it was not the blue I imagined. The blue in person is much darker and looks masculine. So, I decided to go with the yellow which looks amazing in person and not that wow in pictures. The color is sooo beautiful its like a greenish-gold metallic, very femenine. This is my first ipod ever (Yay! At LAST!!) I don't really know why I did not want it when they first came out but I came around finally. I like the design, the color, the size (+-) sometimes its difficult to handle cause its too small but no worries, the cover flow and new features and most of all I love it because its so easy to use. Also, I'm excited to see my fave tv shows such as the office and gossip girl in it. LOVELY!!!

wonderful!!!!!!

Great product...came in perfect condition. I loved the pink metallic look and it's actually quite user friendly. I purchased this item as a gift for a friend that had never used a MP3 player and she absolutely fell in love with it and quickly learned how to upload music and play games. The 4th Generation features make it worth every penny.

Keyword : i

Stitch 'n Bitch Nation

2008-12-15T03:01:00.001+07:00

Stitch 'n Bitch Nation

Only a few usable patterns, too novelty

This is the last knitting book I buy without first seeing a good amount of the patterns before I purchase it. I had seen somebody's newsboy cap from SNBN and I really liked it so I took the chance and bought the whole book from amazon, thinking that the other patterns would be decent at least, right? Very wrong? Now I'm not some no-style, middle-aged mom or anything - I'm in my mid 20's and consider myself pretty damn hip. It's just that I don't want to make the monster slippers, crocodile gloves, Henry Rollins doll, flame sweater, or knitted bikini. These aren't cool, or even hipster ironic, they're just stupid and tacky. Not all the patterns are this over the top, but all of the others are just kind of boring and standard. After reading other reviews, I can agree that the book is poorly made as well. Mine was separating at the spine when I got it. My advise is to check this out at the library before making the purchase. A couple of "OK" patterns, but not something you may want to have in your collection.

Meh...

The thing is that this book is full of even more unappealing patterns than the last one. I do not want to knit wrist-warmers. My husband would never wear a sweater that makes him look like a try-hard punk, nor does he want a skull sweater. I am not interested in eyelash yarn slippers that look like monsters, nor do I desire a cell-phone cozy. We are not even that stodgy. We like stuff that is handmade and kind of deconstructo-chic. This book's trying so hard to be ironic, bless its little heart...but it dates itself so much. Reading this was like watching that you tube clip on the hipster olympics. Honestly, though, a knitted bikini? A belt? Really? Spend your time on Ravelry and you will be MUCH better served.

Pretty pointless

I loved the first Stitch and Bitch, so like a mindless fan, I skipped right out and bought this Stitch 'n Bitch Nation book... the patterns are ridiculous though and I feel like they're only good for pulling out elements to assemble your own Frankenstein type design that you might actually wear. Plus there are all kinds of wacky things going on with the project directions, all kinds of errata that it's crazy. It also struck me that a lot of the models just didn't pull off the designs either. So watch out for this book! I'm glad though, it taught me to check out the next ones from the library which I feel really helped with the Son of Stitch n Bitch (it sucked even worse).

This one is for someone a little past beginner...

For whatever reason, when I bought this book online it was only three bucks. So I thought there was no way I could pass it up. I'm glad I bought it because it taught me how to tweak a pattern in order to use any type of yarn I want. I know I should have been able to figure out how to do this anyway, but I couldn't. Thanks Debbie, now I can use yarn I can afford to knit cool looking things.

This book has mistakes in the patterns. Beware!

Watch out for the Lucky Clover Lace Wrap - it's not very lucky. The pattern has significant errors for the fronts and sleeves and Debbi Stoller's website has corrections which still aren't correct!! I can't get any response from Debbi Stoller or Melissa Wehrle (the sweater designer) to correct the corrections! Also the Felted Furry Foot Warmers pattern also has errors. There could be mistakes in the other patterns too. Knit at your own risk!!!

Keyword : n

Tech 4 O Accelerator Women's Fitness Watch

2008-12-15T02:01:00.001+07:00

Tech 4 O Accelerator Women's Fitness Watch

Better than I expected!

I'm not very tech-y, so I was a bit nervous ordering this watch/pedometer after reading reviews about how hard it was to set up. I followed a reviewer's advice & skipped the written instructions, going straight for the online tutorial. Piece of cake! I love my watch & love counting my steps. Some advice for the next set of buyers: If you like to bike, it won't register your "steps" while biking, so attach it to your shoelaces. Worked accurately & like a charm!

Decent Watch

Overall this watch has been okay. The whole reason I purchased it was for calculating distance when I ran. This was the least pricey out of the watches I was looking at. It seemed to be accurate for the first month I had it but I have noticed that it has been giving me .2 more miles than I actually ran. I am not sure if this addition will only begin to get greater but only time will tell. The other features like the pedometer, and the calorie counter are very good though.

Great watch, but not water resistant as advertised

I walk and hike and swim, and the pedometer and other functions work really well, but after two sessions in the pool the watch display no longer functions. I'm hoping to be able to exchange it.

Very happy with it!

I'm very glad I got this watch. very easy to set up, very accurated, light weight, nice size, i get my steps, mileage, calories burned... perfect!

Big Fan!

I just love my new watch! I love that I can set the timer to start the pedo, as i know that from 5:30 am to 7:20 am, I will be sitting and will not need it to count my arm movement. As with anything there are faults, it will count any arm movement not connected to walking. i forgot on my last watch i bought from Tech and I once "walked" 5,000 steps taking notes in a meeting. Set up can be annoying but once it's set up you never have to do it again.

Keyword : o

Caring for Your Baby and Young Child, Revised Edition: Birth to Age 5 (Shelov, Caring for your Baby and Young Child, Birth to Age 5)

2008-12-13T22:01:00.001+07:00

Caring for Your Baby and Young Child, Revised Edition: Birth to Age 5 (Shelov, Caring for your Baby and Young Child, Birth to Age 5)

Solid reference book but not exactly a page-turner

This book is filled with good, scientifically-researched advice on your baby's health. It does, however, read like a reference book, and it is often as exciting as reading a dictionary. My personal preference was to read Baby 411 as sort of an overall guide, then refer to this book as issues pop up. In other words, use it just like a dictionary!

Wonderful book

It's like the Bible for new Moms...I look at it every day for something or other!

Great reference book for parents

This book is really my go-to-book every time I have a question or to decide whether or not to call our pediatrician. It also have things on development, discipline, family life, etc... It has great advice on potty training or establishing a sleep routine for example which have proven very useful for new parents!

excellent book

I have purchased at least 10 copies of this book over the years. My pediatrician recommended this book to me 12 years ago when my son was born, and I used it extensively. I referred to it again when my daughter was born 3 years later. I routinely give it as a baby shower gift. It is an excellent reference and covers everything you'd want to know about babies!

Very Informative without being too much information

I have enjoyed this book very much. It is very non-biased and doesn't tell you how to raise your child, more like stuff to look for and if a problem develops, how quickly you should call the doctor.

Keyword : 5

Smartparts SP70MW 7-Inch Digital Picture Wood Frame with OptiPix Software

2008-12-13T21:01:00.001+07:00

Smartparts SP70MW 7-Inch Digital Picture Wood Frame with OptiPix Software

GREAT GIFT

Bought this as a gift and WOW! sure not disappointed, great size, great ease of operation and the price was outstanding.....don't hesitate to order this item..

Works great as long as you download their software

Overall I recommend it highly with a big caveat. If you want this frame to work reliably, you must download their converting software from their website. The converting software is free, it runs on your laptop, then copies the files to the frame. Once I did that, I had no problems. The software works quickly and easily, and in the end saved me a lot of headaches. When I manually copied photos onto the frame or onto an SD card, I did have many issues with the frame freezing when trying to view photos. This was very frustrating as there was no way to debug which photos were causing the problem. After a couple of hours of monkeying around, I finally figured out it did not like to rescale large photos that were in portrait mode (taller than they were wide), but it had no problem with landscape photos (wider than they were tall). Once I downloaded their converting software from their website I had no further issues whatsoever, regardless of the photo (landscape or portrait). The advantage of using the converting software is that it quickly rescaled my images (select a directory and it batches them all)down to a usable format for the frame, and I am able to get an estimated 3500 photo's on the frame just using the embedded 256MB. And the photos look great, with no need to buy an additional SD card. In fact and extra SD card just becomes a little bit annoying. This is because the other advantage of using the embedded memory with scaled photos is that when you turn the frame on, it just starts working. If you put the photos on a memory card, when the frame comes on, it asks you what you want to do, which is very inconvenient. The reason I say this is that I want to give this frame to my older parents for christmas, preloaded with pictures, and I want it to just work when they plug it in - which it does if I use the embedded memory but not if I use an SD card. Other minor nit is that you have to go into the "general" folder on the frame and delete out the 4-6 pictures already on the frame, or you'll see their advertisement photos occassionaly interspersed with your own. Easy to do if you have the frame plugged into the usb port of your computer and you browse over and manually delete their photos. The frame looks nice, the picture quality is great, and has some nice transition effects when cycles through your photos. I like that the 8" frame is a useable 8" of viewing area with a 4x3 aspect ratio - many frames have larger viewing areas, but their aspect ratio doesn't match that of the photos you have, so your pictures get stretched or cropped, making the extra size useless. I still only give it 4 stars, because it would be nice if it would have worked correctly without have to rescale my photos using their software. That would have saved a step and given me more options. Nonetheless, once this was all figured out, it has been quite acceptable, and overall I am very happy with it. Its a very nice product for the price, and I may buy more to use as gifts.

Easy to use - pictures look great

I purchased this frame to give as a Christmas gift, and I have uploaded my pictures onto it. I used pictures I had on CDs and also on my hard drive. It was simple to upload them to the frame's memory. I adjusted the brightness and color, which was easy to do. I have it set on the slowest speed for the slide show, and there are 2 other faster options. Note that the size of the frame (8") is the diagonal measurement of the frame. I am very happy with this product. My father is going to love it!

Great quality, excellent features

I bought this on thanksgiving from Amazon and it arrived as per the estimated delivery. I already have a smartparts 8" frame and the experience I had with smartparts was good after one and half years and it inspired me to get another for my parents in India. It looks great and big. Picture quality is as good as seeing them in a computer. Video display quality is good too. Multiple picture viewing and timer features are great. The only reason I gave it a 4 rating is that it does not have the ability to display photos randomly. My older frame has it and it always feels good, not to know which pic you are going to see next. Difference between my SPDPF84M and this SP104C could be clearly seen. This definitely has great quality. Whether it will work for India voltage after using the converter or not is yet to be tested. I will update once its checked.

Where's the software?

This product seemed like a pretty good value. I have a more expensive frame from Smartparts and I am pretty happy with it. If you just want to use an SD card to add photos to your frame you'll be fine, but if you wish to transfer photos from your computer the software that's suppose to be in the box will not be there. Amazon says that the whole batch is missing the needed software, but they will continue to sell this item. Merry Christmas!

Keyword : 7

Make It Super Simple with G. Garvin

2008-12-12T10:01:00.000+07:00

Make It Super Simple with G. Garvin

Simple Ain't Always Pantry Friendly

Beginning cooks and on-the-go moms this cookbook is for you. There are nearly 200 recipes that are straightforward and quick to prepare. The G-Notes and G-Gotta-Be-Quick Tips at the bottom of every other page provide helpful tips and timely tricks to preparing these tasty meals. The glossary and top ten cooking tips are extremely beneficial for those wanting to hone their culinary skills. G. Garvin offers sensible twists on everyday dishes like: grilled chicken with prosciutto, asparagus pasta primavera, and crispy oven-baked fish. However, there are some ingredients not found in every pantry or fridge: swordfish, Roquefort cheese, and fruit compote to name a few. G. Garvin gives his nod to the everyday cook. This book has more instruction and more pictures of food then the first. The commentary provided before each chapter reminds you of an old-fashioned soul food Sunday dinner time conversation. So get ready to add a few twists to your average monthly menu. Hook up wit ya boy, G. Garvin. Deltareviewer Reviewing for Real Page Turners

More of the Same

I have both books. I do like the first book better. Here's why: I am an advanced cook. Super Simple is for less ambitious cooks. I do think Garvin has done an excellent job at keeping the simple from being boring. Three-cheese andouille-and-spinach stuffed tomatoes??! Come on now. If you never learned to cook, you might not want to start with this book. It's Super Simple for folks who know their way around the kitchen. However, there is a section, "Don't Be Scared," for true beginning cooks. There's even a glossary to help understand key techniques. This book still has merit if you are an intermediate and above cook. If you want to mix it up on a Tuesday night, grab this book -- great flavors with most recipes under an hour to prepare. I think there are more pics of the food than him this time. I'm okay with that :-)

Simply Good Food

I own both of G. Garvin's cookbooks. His recipes are very tasty and simple to put together. The ingredients used are not all that difficult to find either. The only reason why I gave this book four stars out of five is because of the use of his line of seasonings, i.e., G's BBQ Spice Rub, G's Salt Seasoning, G's Lemon Pepper Seasoning, and G's Blackening Spice, in a few of his recipes. No suggestion of alternative seasonings are given. I will admit, though, that if you were to go to his first book Turn Up the Heat with G. Garvin you'll be able to find the recipe for his blackening spice and three others. His BBQ Spice Rub, Salt Seasoning and Lemon Pepper Seasoning will have to be purchased off of his website. With that being said, the book still contains numerous recipes that do not call for the use of his line of seasonings. Perhaps he'll reveal those recipes in his next book????

Simple Tasty Receipes

This was the first G.Gavin book I have purchased and I am so happy. I loved how quick and yummy the receipes are and they are especially perfect for the busy person who doesn't have loads of time to cook. I have made several of the receipes and each one is so tasty. My family is falling in love G.Gavin and can't wait till I try another one of his receipes.

Not as good as the first one

I love G. Garvin, I thought his first book was fantabulous. It had wonderful delicious recipes in it that had my sister and I drooling after we tried them. But this one, there were only a few recipes that we wanted to try so we made a copy of the ones we wanted,and took back because. He also had recipes that were going to be difficult to make because some of the ingredients we never heard of and couldn't find in the food stores.

Keyword : g

D-Link DIR-655 Extreme N Wireless Router

2008-12-12T09:01:00.001+07:00

D-Link DIR-655 Extreme N Wireless Router

12-11-08 Currently a great deal for the money.

12-11-08 Currently a great deal for the money. I did a lot of research and yes there are better devices out there but you're going to pay for them. This is a rapidly changing area so I choose the middle of the road price/feature wise and spent around $100+. I realize I will need to purchase another one in a few years anyway so why pay $300+ for something that overheats. It's fast, easy to setup (I'm techie), shared printer works well and works with different operating systems (have Vista and XP).

My house seems to jam most electronic communications. This thing works for me.

My house is a late 60s post modern house built into the side of a hill on several levels on several concrete slabs. Solid walls, 3400sq ft and L-shaped. Wireless communications of any kind are very difficult inside the house. The hill blocks the cell phone towers, and the slabs and angles and walls seem to block wireless activity inside the house itself. My cordless land-line phone ( http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000LYAX1G ) which is highly reviewed by others seems to have quite a bit of difficulty from one end of my house to the other, and drops somewhat frequently. The wireless capability of this router seems to be the only exception I have noted so far. The router is located in the bottom corner of the house and a laptop in the top corner (through many walls and partially obstructed by a concrete slab) gets 4/5 connectivity bars. The PS3 upstairs had 100% signal strength when it was wireless. Its now connected with cat6. So as you can tell from my rambling I am very happy with the quality of the wireless performance that I get from this router. I dont have any significant complaints about anything else either. You can read some of the other reviews that will described the configure-ability of the router much better than I can, but I will say that I'm quite satisfied with the way its set-up with regards to administration. Very customizable in a number of ways. I have found the QoS to work well as well. My home alarm is monitored via a specific VOIP adaptor that lines directly into the router. Naturally I would not want anything interfering with its communication. With the Linksys router I used to have the alarm would not register a signal online if my bit-torrent client was even mildly active. I had to throttle torrents down while I was gone to insure my alarm could dial out. I would normally prefer torrents to be more active when I'm not home. So that was somewhat of a pain. I ran a series of tests of my alarm with HEAVY activity on the torrent client and the VOIP alarm signal registered online as desired. You can set bandwidth preferences to specific local IPs (which I have now done) but it did not seem to be necessary when I did this test. The router just gave the VOIP signal preference over the P2P. All in all very worth the price for me!

works just as it should

I can't help but laugh every time i read a review of a tech product by someone that has no business trying to do what they are trying to do. This is, for all intense and purposes, a router! with all of the big boy features that a router should have, BUT yes, in a consumer product, and Amazon will and does sell it to anyone with the cashe to purchase it. Unfortunately there is no aptitude test to keep most of you from buying it. So, "caveat emptor" but NOT because this is a bad - or even potentially bad - product, but because it does a lot of stuff that the average joe blow computer user hasn't a clue how to use or why. I cannot comment on the dlink customer support, but can only imagine it is probably as bad as all the complainers have said, maybe worse. again, you are talking about a piece of technology that companies offer full blown college courses and credentials to learn how to configure properly, and trying to explain these concepts over the phone to an obliviate can be somewhat taxing if not impossible. and yes, i can see where a support person would just eventually get fed up with you. in dlink's defense, they have tried - best they can - to develop a "plug and play" solution to get this configured for you. but here is the bottom line for those that have written something like "it works with Vista!" or some other such moronic thing. a router doth not care what operating system you have, and you doth not need to install ANYTHING on your computer to make this thing work! it's a router!, it simply routes packets from point a to point b. if your computer isn't configured properly, you may have problems, but don't blame the router. it's more than likely doing EXACTLY what you told it to do! that said - [stepping down off the milk crate] - i bought this router because i was thoroughly pissed off at linksys/cisco for making a competing product that truly does NOT work, but that is a different story. once i got this router, i have NEVER had a bad thing to say about it. i run anywhere from 4 to 7 computers through it, both wired and wireless, running Vista 32 and 64, XP, Windows 2003 server, Linux, open BSD and yes, even a flippin' Mac on rare occasions when i really need a hair-cut and i simply don't have the time, so I figure I'll just pull my hair out one strand at a time for a few hours while struggling to find the right mouse button. Anyway, this thing is rock solid, has great wireless range, and is easy to configure (when you know what you are doing, or at least have some technical aptitude.) I won't say you must be a tech geek, but SOME aptitude will greatly help you during your travels through wireless security options, port forwarding, and firewall settings. This or any other product like it, simply isn't made to be "plug and play" those that have given this anything less that 4 stars either got a bad one - not out of the realm of possibility - or simply have no business trying to do this themselves. This is a prefect opportunity to hire the geek squad if you don't know what you are doing, but don't blame the product if you have trouble. In the immortal words from the movie, Mr. Mom, "You're doing it wrong."

Great wireless router

My previous router was a linkys router which would incessantly crash. I would spend more time resetting the router than actually using the internet. I bought this router and was surprised at the difference that it made. First of all, it was extremely easy to set up. It doesn't require a degree in rocket science to operate. The router comes with multiple directions and a CD that sets up the router. It took about 5 minutes to get the internet running. Its been quite a while since the router was connected to the internet and I still have not encountered any problems. Pros: great Speed Does not drop connection Easy set up sleek design Cons: Have not encountered any yet

Highly configurable, very fast

Pro's 1 Very, very fast. 2. Highly configurable with some "wizard" configuration features which work well enough; such as obtaining internet connectivity. 3. Reasonable price. Cons 1. Highly configurable; to get the ideal settings, however, requires some knowledge the options. 2. Runs pretty warm. 3. Doesn't like being turned off and may lose settings if powered down. (settings can be saved to a file and easily reloaded from the tools submenu/system/save to local drive or restore). 4. The manual doesn't cover all the features of the modem and some instructions are left out while others in the manual don't exist in the firmware. Configuration: If you are doing a manual config or your network won't work........... Under tools/admin/administration be sure to enable "remote management" to open port 8080 and allow all "inbound filters" on your LAN. It can be very frustrating, since there is little documentation about it and your home net may well not work unless this is manually enabled. If configuring your wireless; under network settings/wireless settings/manual wireless settings, set the channel width to 20/40 for best performance. The packet stream prioritizaion for gaming is set on by default. I doubt that that specific rules will improve performance. Good luck! this puppy works splendidly once set up properly.

Keyword : d

Generation T: 108 Ways to Transform a T-Shirt

2008-12-11T05:01:00.001+07:00

Generation T: 108 Ways to Transform a T-Shirt

useful, but a lot of stuff i already knew

I bought this book hoping to get some new ideas on sewing. It did give me a few new ideas; however, a lot of the stuff i already knew how to make. For a beginning sewer it is a useful book of craftiness. But, if you already sew you brains out like i do, I would only buy it as a reference piece.

Too Young

I am sorry to say I was disappointed with the product. The whole book is geared for the younger girls and I was looking for something for the more mature.

Awesome T-Shirt Book

Always wonder what to do with those t-shirts that are too big or too small, or a little worn out! I recommend this to anyone looking for a creative way to recycle their t-shirts!

A great place to start!

If you don't care to sew but want to join the altered,recycled clothing craze, this is a great place to start. Most projects are easily achieveable by the inexperienced crafter and are attractive and wearable. The main downside to this book is that most of the clothing isn't very sophisticated or wearable for those over about 35. I found it a great resource for working with my teenaged daughter and niece. They both liked the designs and found the directions easy to understand and follow.

Tee Perfection

For many years I have been interested in the dynamics of t-shirt reconstruction. In my late teens I made a few attempts at DIY reconstruction but knew very little about the basics of sewing. Once I learned how to sew I began on an endless journey to DIY fashion creating one of a kind shirts to separate myself from boring, monotonous trends. My boyfriend called to tell me about generation T and suggested I visit the site. I immediately fell in love and ordered the book right away. Literally two days later I received the book and my eyes become open to a whole new word of DIY fashion. The possibilities are endless and this book is not simply limited to t-shirts. There are handbags, pillows, skirts, rugs, and much more. There is even a wedding dress at the end of the book designed with t-shirts!! I made a new projects every day with this book, sometimes two projects a day. It's good to own a sewing machine but if you don't, all of projects that require sewing can be easily stitched by hand. At the beginning of the book the author explains different stitching techniques so that even a beginner can complete the projects. A third of the book is no-sew which makes things even easier. I highly recommend this book, it's like a DIY bible for fashion.

Keyword : t

Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4.0-5.6 IS Telephoto Zoom Lens for Canon Digital SLR Cameras

2008-12-11T04:01:00.001+07:00

Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4.0-5.6 IS Telephoto Zoom Lens for Canon Digital SLR Cameras

canon telephoto lens

The purchase of the lens was quick and efficient. The lens arrived earlier than I had anticipated and I have been using it successfully since it's arrival.

Good for the price

This is a good entry level telephoto zoom. Works fine for people like me who need telephoto lens only occasionally. Yes, it is all plastic and cheaply built, but that makes it very light weight. The auto focusing is a little bit slow, but this is what you can expect from a lens of this price. However, if you have large budget and will like to use a telephoto more often, go get yourself a better lens.

Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4.0-5.6 IS Telephoto Zoom Lens for Canon Digital SLR Cameras

Remembering that it is an EF-S rather than an EF lens, it is a good intermediate lens for beginners. I got this one for my son-in-law for when I give him my 20D at Christmas. [5D MK II on order for me] The IS is a nice touch. Of course it is not an L lens but you don't pay those prices either. Recommended.

One Happy Customer!

What with the price of all the IS Canon lenses that I have studied I had made up my mind that I would just have to do without, however this EF-S 55-250 sure changed that in a hurry. I received this lens within a few days and immediately put it to use photographing the wild birds at my feeders in my back yard. To say that I am satisfied is an understatement. I was blown away with my photos and while I am certain that there are other better IS lens out there on the market this one, taken into account the reasonable price can't be beat. I believe that Canon has done the users of their cameras a great service and I thank them for it.Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4.0-5.6 IS Telephoto Zoom Lens for Canon Digital SLR Cameras

Best lens for the money

This is an excellent lens for under $500. It is designed to be a good all purpose tele zoom lens for non-pros. I think it fits the bill nicely. The lens is very sharp at all focal lengths and really doesn't have any bad spots like most cheap lenses. Aperture is a bit on the slow side, but normal for a lens in its class. The Image Stabilization really works well. You won't want a telephoto lens without it once you've had it. Build quality is about normal for the price. It is mostly plastic, but that keeps down on the weight. Macro performance is pretty good, too. It is a 1/3 magnification, which is a bit better than average without being an advertised macro lens. You can certainly fill the frame with a flower bud or a leaf, if that is what you are after. I give it 5 stars, not because it is the best lens in the world, but because it is the best lens for the price and the intended photographers. It pairs perfectly with the 18-55 IS and then you get a seamless range of 18-250 (28-400 equiv), all Image stabilized. The next step up is at least twice the money. Nothing else in the price range can compare with the features, sharpness and focal range in my opinion.

Keyword : s

Hell's Angels: A Strange and Terrible Saga (Modern Library)

2008-12-10T00:01:00.001+07:00

Hell's Angels: A Strange and Terrible Saga (Modern Library)

Quick and Fast

My book was delivered as promised and on time. I will definitely order again in the future.

Not enough Hunter

"Hell's Angels" lacks some of the personal edge and Gonzo reporting style that I expect from Thompson. It is fun in parts, but overall it's too objective. After a few chapters, I found myself thinking, "I get it, these guys are burnouts and misfits, and I don't need be told any more minor stories about their antics." I can't be satisfied with this book as a piece of historical journalism either because there is so much post-1966 Hell's Angels history. Altamont and other important events occurred after the book was written, so I feel like I still don't have a good handle on the Hell's Angels' full significance in American culture. The thing I will remember the most from the book is the quote by Samuel Johnson, "He who makes himself a beast gets rid of the pain of being a man." This quote succinctly describes a core motivation of the Hell's Angels and others who know the pleasure of fringe lifestyles and behavior.

Brilliant writing about a grtty reality in American culture.

I highly reccommend this gritty book. It is a very real feeling honest expose of the cult of the outlaw bikers, how the American media reacts to and manufactures disinfomaiton. It is a story of the sorry truth of the patholoy of the underclass of American society. One of Thompson's best.

Hunter at his best

This is a wonderful republishing effort in hardback with a great photo of Hunter on its cover - a tribute to Thompson's literary accomplishment and treatment of the Hells Angels when they were truly a cultural attraction. Hunter's writing is clear, fast-paced, insightful, hysterial, and damning with just a bit of the Thompson humor to get the real point across. There's not be a book on the Times and the Angels since to match it. Great addition to the library - thanks, Dr. Thompson - RIP

One of the greatest writers of all time

I fear many young readers don't read Hunter because their sole perception of him stems from the Fear and Loathing movie. Perhaps it makes them overlook him, falsely believing they could only take something away from his genius if they themselves were acid freaks or outlaw motorcyclists. What they don't understand is story development is only part of the delicious masterpieces Hunter serves up. He could make a sentence, one short, lonely sentence brilliant. He could read the inner workings of his non-fictional subjects' minds, both good and bad, as though he held some secret intercom to their brain. Regardless of the story, whether it was some drug binging adventure in Vegas or hot presidential campaign, Hunter's details lacked in nothing. If he wrote it, the reader can close their eyes and be in that distant place in that distant time. I wasn't yet born in the 60s and 70s, but I can see that the residue from that era still heavily molds our society and our government. To move forward, it is important to understand our past. And, Hunter's work serve as an ambassador or a time machine for us to go back and reconcile and comprehend such an unbelievable time. So, read the book. Read all his books.

Keyword : s

Q-See QSC48030 High Resolution Weatherproof CCD Camera w/100ft of Night Vision (Color)

2008-12-09T23:01:00.001+07:00

Q-See QSC48030 High Resolution Weatherproof CCD Camera w/100ft of Night Vision (Color)

Sharp image. Bright at night. Some glare from the infrared LEDs but a bargain.

I have been experimenting with a few low-end security cameras. This is the most expensive camera I have tried, and also the best. It has a very sharp image during the day, and is also surprisingly sharp at night. At night it suffers some from glare on the lens caused by the numerous infrared LEDs. But still, the LEDs provide a lot of illumination which overall is a good thing. This camera is definitely a step up from the SVAT CV31 Hi-Res Outdoor CCD camera. It is both significantly sharper during the day, and significantly brighter at night. Also, it does not suffer from the pinkish cast I sometimes see in the SVAT image during the day. The Q-See is also a more compact design and feels more solid overall. I am especially amazed by the bright color images this camera provides just before dark and just after first light. After dark, the camera switches to a black and white image. One minor gripe about this camera is that the mounting hardware can make it hard to hang the camera from the eves or the rafters in a manner that is less obtrusive. I figured out an improvised solution after some experimentation, but it was not as easy or quick as I would have liked. I have also tried various X-10 cameras and those really compare poorly to this camera. Unless you are really strapped for cash, go with this camera over other cheaper cameras and you will probably not be disappointed.

Great camera

This camera works great. After reading other reviews, I bought one and now I am regretting not buying more. I bought it last week at $120, now it is over $150, what is up with that? I am going to buy 3 more, but I might wait to see if the price goes down a little. Great picture day and night, decent mount and decent construction. I would recommend this camera to my friends.

very poor quality day & night vision

Sept. 12, 2008 I have used this camera for about 2 weeks. It worked ok for about a week. I also purchased an expensive new TV monitor to use with this camera. The tv monitor shows big white / gray circles when I try to record on it at night. I am assuming the white / gray circles are the led lights on this camera lens. It made no difference in the picture quality even if I turned off the outside lights on my house! The white circles block out a lot of what I am trying to record ... faces, vehicles, and neighborhood criminal activities. It works ok for day time monitoring (only) but I would not recomend this camera for day or night recording. You CAN NOT identify faces, vehicles or anything else even if you are up close up to the camera! I would send the camera back for a refund, but it has been painted white so it would blend in by the house and not be seen by people. I am VERY DISAPPOINTED in this camera! Don't waste your time or money buying this camera!

Many cameras tested

Ok heres the info that I was lookin for but had to find it the hard way. First off I was looking for a camera that had good range, clear picture and the ability to see clear at night. For the price this camera is well better than the others in the same range. In fact probably the all around best for the price. It offers a wider picture, A little bit more distance and a slightly clearer picture. But a fact you should know!!! I mounted this camera and with a day or so I caught my car getting robbed. The distance was about 30 to 40 feet and it was impossible to make out a face. The burglar stopped the car and the car was difficult to spot make model and accurate color but with some effort got it done. If your intention is to catch someone in the act and be able to prosecute them, upgrade to some better models. Spend the money. My things were still taken and all I can do now is watch it happen. Nothing else. I have tried all the cameras just about and all the different ranges. This is the best one but like I said before, you get what you pay for. Hope this helps.

Little Monster Camera

The camera provides a good picture. Unfortunately, water damaged the adapter and the camera is now damaged :-(. However, while it was working, I was impressed. The night vision works well even in ZERO light. Great buy!!

Keyword : q

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (Book 5)

2008-12-08T19:01:00.001+07:00

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (Book 5)

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

I really enjoyed "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix". I believe that J.K. Rowling did an excellent job in writing this book. I think she was trying to set a dark and gloomy tone which was similar to the third book of the series. This basically sets up the big ending for the last two books. In this book, Harry is accused of using magic outside of school. There is a trial and Dumbledore helps Harry so he can continue attending Hogwarts School of Wizardry. Harry goes back to Hogwarts and before long Cornelius Fudge (the minister of the Ministry of Magic) appoints the defense against the dark arts teacher named Delores Umbridge as headmaster of Hogwarts. Because Fudge has so much power, he kicks Dumbledore out along with other teachers who he was suspicious of. Umbridge didn't allow the students to learn spells so Harry and his friends, Hermione and Ron join together with other students to learn defensive spells. I believe Umbridge was a perfect character that Rowling made for this book. She is nice at first, but then the more you got into the book, you realize she is very evil. I think Rowling really shows us how much Harry has matured over the five books. Ron is definitely not as strong and powerful as Harry, but you can tell how close these two have become. Without Ron, Harry wouldn't be as strong as he is because Ron is such a good friend and always supports and defends Harry. Hermione also really helps in this book. One example is when she and Harry decide to teach magic to a lot of kids from Hogwarts in order to fight off the "dark lord". Without Hermione in the book, it would lack a lot of love and adventure. I thought the plot was very well written. This book is easy enough for children of at least 8 years old to understand. This book contains a lot of action, humor, romance and adventure. I believe this is the best Harry Potter book that I have read.

Excellent, Nearly Super

"Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix" takes Harry back to school for his fifth year. This is the longest and most complicated book so far. I think that it is excellent and comes close to being a super book. However, J.K. Rowling did run into some problems. The major problem is how one fits a great deal into a smaller space. Yet, the author must be true to several ideas that permeate the entire series. The result is a book that is somewhat darker than any previous book and a book that is somewhat more difficult to read. I think that younger readers should read this book, one chapter at a time. This will be hard to do, because the earlier books could, almost, be swallowed whole. Here, one must chew on the story, one bite at a time. Is it possible to improve on what J.K. Rowling wrote? Perhaps. However, I am glad that I do not have to try to do that. Really, the introductory review supplied by the publisher (way up above) gives a good enough idea of what to expect in terms of specifics. Harry is older and is going through a tough phase of adolescence. The tension is growing between the forces of good and evil. And, Harry must grow up. In addition, all the major characters face some growing pains. Further, the author must point the tale in a particular direction to start lining up a clean direction towards the ending of the series. This requires that the plot must include the death of a semi-major character. In short, the ending is not quite the heroic success of the previous endings. Nor is the ending as neatly tied together. Finally, the plot of the entire series turns in unexpected and complicated ways. Yet, I rate this book highly. Have some patience reading this book. There is a lot of material to digest. This is a very good book but requires some effort on the part of the reader.

George Orwell Comes to Hogwarts

Ms. Rowling's fifth book involves oodles of political intrigue between the government in power and many of the major characters teaching or attending Hogwarts. The school slowly morphs into a brutal, totalitarian institution under the control of the government. The reasons for the repression of the students and teachers are more complicated than simply good vs evil. This story is a wonderful way of teaching readers about the loss of individual rights. It is clearly darker than the previous four, but still very entertaining. There is plenty of magic, humor and excitement to keep readers of all ages entertained. However, I don't believe it is possible to fully understand and enjoy Ms. Rowling's fifth installment without reading the prior books. Also, many things are left hanging at the end and requires you to continue into the sixth novel for answers. No problem there. Ms. Rowling's books are addictive.

An amazing novel

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix is the great transitional novel in the series. The first books have action and interesting plot twists, but the tone changes in this book. In the previous books, when Harry Potter wins a battle (aka the conclusion of a book), the reader experiences a feeling that everything is all right and will be right. However, throughout this book and into the next ones, the confident feeling that Harry will survive and defeat Voldemort and restore the peaceful, jovial magical world we knew in the first books is challenged. The changes in Harry's character do not inspire confidence either. The character we embraced and grew with is becoming a snotty, arrogant idiot. I found myself questioning whether the world Harry lives in will ever be the same even if Voldemort is defeated. This is a great book and the beginning of the action that makes this series one of the best I have ever read. I recommend it to all.

excellent audio books!!!!!!!!!

I have at this point listened to all the books that have come out in the theaters, i love them all, the narriator is excellent!!!!! I am a Harry Potter fan, i can't get enough!!!!!!

Keyword : 5

Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS USM Lens for Canon EOS SLR Cameras

2008-12-08T18:01:00.001+07:00

Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS USM Lens for Canon EOS SLR Cameras

Great Lens

This is the best lens you get for the money. I can't believe how great and easy it is to use. I used it to take pictures of my son playing soccer and I could zoom him right up and get close up's that I could not have gotten with a regular lens. Love this lens.................. C. Kemp

Canon 70-300mm lens

I received the Canon 70-300mm lens quickly from Amazon.com. Their service was great. I haven't had the chance to use the lens much yet, but know I will love it.

Dissapointed

I am a Canon fanatic and own many lenses and this lens is the one that does not give me that happy glowing feeling. I bought it primarily so when I went to sporting evens I could get closer into the action - I tend to buy seats close rather than sitting at the back of the stands and I am frustrated after a year of ownership. At 300mm the lens is blurry, it seems to produce inconsistent color when I use bursts (1-2 pictures out of ten come up dark.....?) and it can be slow to focus. I thought I would be able to use this for nature photography however without the predictability of baseball I am not sure I'd be able to snap a birds that might land quickly and dart away again. Its just not up to the quality of my other Canon lenses. I also think it is shameful that it does not come with a hood considering the price - you can tack on another $40 for that. When all is said and done you may find something similar from Sigma or one of the other producers that is cheaper and of similar quality. I personally wish I had gone that route for once. It is not bad ... its just not great. I'm looking for a replacement.

Canon comes through again with another great product!

Great and powerful lens! I used it with the xsi and will with the 50d. The pics so far are ourstanding. I do think it's a little pricey but the IS system is worth it.

Great IS and Bokeh

With this lens, I can capture very nice pictures of my kids/nephew/niece. The IS work wells. Handling is good. Bokeh is what I expected. The only thing that I like to have is the Full-Time Manual Focus which it doesn't have.

Keyword : f

Smash Trash! ( Wall - E Step into Reading Step 1)

2008-12-07T14:01:00.001+07:00

Smash Trash! ( Wall - E Step into Reading Step 1)

Simple but Cute Book!

Short and sweet book. My first grader enjoyed reading this book on his own. The book covers just the part about Wall-E smashing trash (the very beginning of the movie).

Cute book for little ones.

My 3 year old is fascinated with Wall-E and he loved this Wall-E book. It's very simple with just a few words on each page, perfect for young ones learning to read.

Keyword : e

Epson T048120 Black Ink Cartridge (Stylus Photo R300, R300M, and RX500 Printers)

2008-12-07T13:01:00.001+07:00

Epson T048120 Black Ink Cartridge (Stylus Photo R300, R300M, and RX500 Printers)

Misleading

These are old, expired Epson cartridges that this company probably buys for pennies on the dollar and passes on the savings to consumers. All of the expiration codes are sctratched off. They seem to work ok and are cheap enough but I don't completely trust a company who is intentionally misleading and lacking full disclosure. It would have been nice to know exactly what I was buying. Caveat emptor.

It's Ink and It Works

No point in being dramatic. I bought ink for my printer. It works. It came on time. It's perfect. Nuff said.

Great cartridges

I have bought these many times, and never been sorry yet. The cheapest, best way to buy them.

Ink Cartridge

after purchasing recharged ink cartridges and refilling my own I prefer the orginal manfacture product. I would rather pay a few bucks extra to get the real thing, the ink is much better for printing pictures and the cartridge seems to last longer.

Manufacture Ink works in their own machines.

Epson makes a nice black ink cartridge that we use on our Epson printer. We have had some off brand (refilled) carts. that have leaked and caused much more headace then not. Quick delivery, good product and there are plenty of ways of not throwing the old one into a landfill. Functions Perfectly

Keyword : t

A Bold Fresh Piece of Humanity

2008-12-06T09:01:00.001+07:00

A Bold Fresh Piece of Humanity

Who hid the nun's underwear under the bed??

Who hid the nun's underwear under the bed? Who is Bill O'Reilly and where does his passion come from? What is the impetus for his gritty "No Spin Zone" attitude? What and/or who shaped his vision and philosophy? Well folks it's all in his new autobiographical book A Bold Fresh Piece of Humanity. From his childhood experiences, to his rough and tumble news career, to his now famous cable TV show, Mr. O'Reilly takes no prisoners and holds nothing back. He is who he is and he makes no apologies for his confrontational style. His "attitude" is for truth, honesty, and defender of the "little guy". Like him or dislike him, you have to admire his forthright views and passion. He thrives exposing the political spin world of obfuscation, stonewalling, parsing, and sometimes outright lying. The truth is out there but it takes a Bill O'Reilly to cut through the spin. Shaped by small town values, a strong parochial school background, a traditional nuclear family environment, and "Leave it to Beaver" friends, Mr. O'Reilly attacks the world with gusto. Shunning the `60s drug and alcohol craze, Mr. O'Reilly substituted his passion to experience natural highs. He engaged the world he found and worked to make it a better place. The book is replete with his life examples and how he dealt with the world he found. Did he make mistakes? Sure. Was he always right? No. But he learned by doing and never gave up his quest for the truth. And that speaks volumes to who Bill O'Reilly is. In the end, Bill O'Reilly does it his way and that is good. All in all a good solid book. Interesting vignettes of his life experiences and how these shaped his views and personality. I found the book to be an informative read into the life of today's best news commentator. I would have liked to know a little more about his current personal life but I understand his need for familial privacy. Recommended for those who like biographical reads. So Bill, did Clem really hide the nun's underwear under the bed??

Written with all the skill of an average high school student

I got this book as a gift, and I'm now glad I didn't waste my money on it. I had hoped it would be funny. It really wasn't. I had hoped it would be insightful. Not at all. Worst, it is amateurishly written. Buy it, but only if you want to read the word "bloviate" on every page.

A Bold Fresh Piece of Humanity

I'm a faithful "Factor" viewer but found this book disappointing. It's written at a fifth grade level and the ideas are one dimensional and simplistic. The author's constant third person reference to himself quickly became irritating

A Bold Fresh Piece of Humanity

O'Reilly's a hoot! Good reading, and it's fun and interesting and fun to know his background. It can bring us all back to our roots.

Bill O'Reilly Review

A well-written, humorous and honest review of the life of Bill O'Reilly. Entertaining and an easy leisurely read.

Keyword : o

Built NY E-HCS-LKB Small Hoodie Camera Case (Lake Blue)

2008-12-06T08:01:00.001+07:00

Built NY E-HCS-LKB Small Hoodie Camera Case (Lake Blue)

Great, Pocket-Portable Protective Little Bag

I bought this at the same time I bought my new Canon SD870 IS. I was especially interested in the screen protecting hard EVA plastic backbone, as my previous pocket camera had bitten the dust when I was walking with it in my front pocket and my leg bumped into a chair, resulting in a shattered screen. I have yet to bump into anything with this camera, but if I do I'm sure my camera will be fine. The case is strong, yet still small enough to easily slip in and out of my pocket when needed. The storage pouch feature is nice as well - I keep an extra battery tucked in there just in case. Over all, a great looking, inexpensive product that does what it needs to do: keep my camera safe and always with me.

snug as a bug in a rug

The reason I was searching for a good camera case is because the magnet on my old one caused the battery to die. I wanted something cute, fashionable, easy, and fun. This is all of that and more! I don't have to worry one bit about dropping my camera while it is in this case. The hard plastic back gives me that security. I do, however, have to agree with another user of this case... It is very difficult to get your camera in and out quickly because it is as snug as a bug in a rug in that camera case. Another concern that I have about the case is that the strap looks a bit flimsy. It may not last for very long, but it is still very useful. I'm really happy that I went with this case because it looks exactly like the picture and it is safe for my camera and its just so cute!

Will not fit Canon A590is

Though this is offered as a recommended accessory on the page containing the canon a590is. The case is way too small.

Looks nice but....too small for cameras!

...I thought this was a cute camera bag, so I purchased it when I got my Canon PowerShot A590IS. Well!! I can barely get my iPod in there, which is about 1/3 of an inch thick. My camera is better that 1.5 inches at the thickest point. With the hard plastic 'backbone', there's just not enough give. I had to get something quite a bit bigger. Indeed, that I had to return this one contributed to the low rating.

Excellent protection for camera

The solid backing and soft interior provide the protection I want for my camera and screen. Good size for my Canon Powershot SD870. Hoodie part is nice for extra storage. As someone mentioned it takes a few seconds to get your camera out, but any case is going to delay reaction time.

Keyword : e

Mere Christianity

2008-12-05T04:01:00.001+07:00

Mere Christianity

You better read this book.

I like reading books on apologetics. It's one of my favorite subjects. I also really dislike buying a book and getting halfway through it and realizing it has nothing to offer me. To avoid this, I always get online and read book reviews. I also find top 10 lists very helpful. I will google something like "top 10 Christian books" or "top 10 books evangelism." After doing this for a while, I noticed something curious. "Mere Christianity" by C.S. Lewis is almost always near the top of any top 10 list. And it's usually number 1. I avoided reading this book of a while. I thought, "Well I know C.S. Lewis is a great writer. He wrote the Narnia series. But it's just so old, it's probably dry, high theology." Finally, I broke down and bought it, drudgingly. As soon as I began reading it though, I was immediately mad at myself for not reading it sooner. It is by far the best book on Christianity besides the bible itself. Lewis is so humble in his writing, but is clearly one of the most brilliant minds ever. You will find yourself following a line of thought and then suddenly he'll end it with something absolutely profound. He does it over and over again throughout the whole book. This book will bring you closer to Christ whether you're a beliver or not. If you're a Christian it will challenge you and help you to grow stronger in your faith. If you're an athiest or agnostic it will blindside you and cause you to question your logic. Just go ahead and read it. I've read it three times in a row.

'Oxford Retard' yet to receive a coherent rebuttal...

I agree with the 1 star reviewers. This was no scholarly work. It wasn't nearly enough pages long. He didn't even use long words. If he was really an intellectual don't you think he would have used longer words?

Astounding

This is an amazing read. The english is perfect and the logic is beautiful. Go ahead I dare you.

Recommend the writer to everyone

Book was in okay shape but the material inside is a must for anyone seeking truth.

Beautiful and Mentally Satisfying

Reading this book I gained a logical confirmation of the natural beliefs of the heart, which in modern times are increasingly condemned as illogical. The best scholarly defense of religion/morality in general and Christianity in particular I've read! To make the most out of it, read "The Everlasting Man" by G.K. Chesterton, a book which greatly influenced Lewis and played a major role in converting him to theism: The Everlasting Man. These books go hand in hand. Read them both!!

Keyword : c

Sabrent ECS-U35K Ultra Slim USB 2.0 3.5-inch IDE/PATA Hard Drive Enclosure (Black)

2008-12-05T03:01:00.001+07:00

Sabrent ECS-U35K Ultra Slim USB 2.0 3.5-inch IDE/PATA Hard Drive Enclosure (Black)

Simple and Easy Disk Enclosure

This is a great economical drive enclosure for hard drives. Simple to install drives and use (plug and play). I have intermittantly used two of these enclosures for over a month with old IDE hard drives. Although the enclosure has no fan, the sturdy aluminum housing adequately dissipates heat.

It works. It's cheap. It's poorly designed!

The designers must have been heading out for the weekend when they approved this one! The gizmo that holds the case upright fits loosely -- not so badly that you'll lose it when you lift it, but it slides right off when pushing/pulling the case into place. I would magic-glue it to the case, but what if I want to lay the case flat next week? The power switch is located on the back (normal), but it is 2/3rds of the way down the plate and you have to reach down/passed the USB connection to get at it. The power switch is also a pop-out, which it will if you don't tuck the interior wiring smartly to the side. Then there's the power light. Guess where that is -- on the back! -- where you can't see it! Yeeuch!

Sabrent Hard Drive Enclosure

The enclosure worked well and enabled me to back up several drives from a dead computer.

I Like Mine ...

I bought this product to rescue my stuff from a crashed PC and transfer it to a MAC. It is and does exactly as advertised. Mine did work with the HD jumper in the "Master" position per the instructions. It was set to "Master" when I rescued it from the PC. Otherwise, I would have retained the original setting for the first try. The instructions do say to spool the disk up to speed before making the USB connection and this is necessary. My only problem was with the screws. The screws for the faceplate are a very slightly different size than those that secure the HD in the case. It took me awhile to figure that one out with my 65 year old eyes. Reading these reviews before purchasing was a plus as well.

Does exactly what it says on the box...

Used this to house a hard drive from an old PC and connect to my new PC. It took me 5 minutes to set up, and works perfectly. I have it switched on permanently, and so far no issues with overheating.

Keyword : 5

Unmanned (Y: The Last Man, Vol. 1)

2008-12-03T23:01:00.001+07:00

Unmanned (Y: The Last Man, Vol. 1)

Better than I had hoped

Apocalyptic stories and gender politics, two of my favor things to read or watch. "Y: The Last Man -- Unmanned" was intense and gripping. I devoured it and wanted more. I'd heard about this graphic serial for years and am so glad I finally got a copy. I'm not sure I buy the decay of the world quite so much, women are very capable and are in most of the jobs required just not in the majority of many of them, but given this is an apocalyptic fantasy/science fiction story, I can go with the flow to see how things play out.

Best graphic novel since Jeff Smith's 'Bone'

This is the most engrossing comic novel I have read since 'Bone'. The pace is perfect and the subject matter is so well developed that you will find yourself slipping into Vaughn's post-apocalyptic alternate reality. Guerra's artwork is a perfect match to Vaughn's writing and it really brings the whole work to life in a way only comics can. Y: The Last Man is an excellent launch pad for anyone just getting into the world of comics and graphic novels as well as a strong addition to any library.

I Am Woman, Hear Me Roar

Visualize the Helen Ruddy song -- I Am Woman -- for a second. Feel the estrogen? Oh yeah..... Nothing like female empowerment to get you going for a story about women taking over the world. You see, Y: The Last Man REALLY is about the LAST man. In a stunning turn of events, the entire male population has violently died and the world has been taken over by lesbian bikers who decide they only need to deal with one of their "more appealing chest parts" and cut off the other one. Okay, silliness aside, this actually is a good series, and probably what I admire most about it... it has an ending! Volume 1: Unmanned is nowhere near that ending -- you'll need to read 10 volumes first -- but the best stories always have a beginning and end, and as long as you enjoy the tone of the first book, you'll probably be a devoted reader until the final days. If you enjoy the format of TV shows like 24 that flash how much time is remaining in a story, you'll get a kick out of the intro in this book. Vaughan writes in a cinematic style as he counts down to the opening moment when testosterone ceases to exist. While we have a clue as to what caused it, we're still left in the dark because numerous events occur at the exact moment of male genocide. Who survives this calamity? Why none other than Yorick, a struggling magician who might be more effeminate than most of the women left on the world. Oddly enough, his male pet monkey, a creature he was raising as part of a college science experiment to earn extra cash, also survives making them the only two walking and breathing male mammals... or at least the only two the story has revealed thus far. So presented with the potential disaster of an entire species dying because it can no longer reproduce, I'm sure you have figured out that Yorick's first plan is to live out every male teenager's fantasy and start breeding like rabbits, right? Nope, given the luxury of living his own harem-lifestyle, Yorick instead decides to track down his girlfriend in Australia who he was in the act of proposing to (over the phone) at the same moment when males around the world suddenly started bleeding profusely and dropping dead. But first, he has to visit with a world famous biologist who was in the process of human asexual reproduction, and see if she has any clues as to why he is the only male left on the planet. If you enjoy post-apocalyptic tales, this one is no different than any fun-loving zombie epic. The world is busy disposing of millions of corpses, most people drive on easier-to-navigate motorcycles, and Washington D.C. is trying to decide who is really in charge now. Incidentally, Yorick's mother is one of the most powerful politicians in the nation's capitol, and she helps her son set his direction as she and others hunt down the Secretary of Agriculture who is next in line for the Presidency since everyone above her station was a male. The storyline in Y: The Last Man is an intriguing "What if?" scenario and accompanied by decent artwork that knows how to illustrate a world in which exaggerated superheroes are not the norm, it's a fun read that will leave you eager to follow through in the second book. It seems when writer Brian K. Vaughan is at his best, he can do no wrong, and this series is certainly another example of his creative prowess. At a list price of $12.99 (but lower-priced on Amazon), it's a great deal, and if the theme of this story sounds interesting, I recommend you check out Amazon used seller shops to see if you can find all books bundled into one great deal. In a few months, DC will also start releasing deluxe hardcover editions so if you're a fan of those formats, you might want to wait before starting your journey down one of the more original and captivating tales published in Vertigo's short history.

Hooked!

I was hooked after reading this first volume! I loved the cliffhanger at the end. Vaughan has several of those throughout the series. I couldn't resist running out an buying Vol. 2 that same day. Finally, after repeated trips to the store I ordered 6-10 from Amazon. Thankfully, they have fast shipping so I didn't have to wait long! I particularly liked how the events leading up to the plague were portrayed, right down to the page where there are four panels that depict things that are happening simultaneously in different parts of the world seconds before the plague hit. Excellent timing - so well done.

Reads best as a SERIES

I read this one Trade Paperback without much prior knowledge of who BKV or Pia Guerra was. But I did hear some good reviews on this Trade series so I tried it out. The first read wasn't that compelling. The second of the series made it a bit better. By the time I read the first five of the Series, I was somewhat hooked. The main character, Yorick, is a bit spoiled and somewhat of a whiner. He runs off and does what he wants regardless of those who warns him or the consequence of his actions. The first three volumes of the series has him running off to see the phallic memorial and he gets into a fight. Yorick is not a person you'll identity with or sympathize with. He's reckless and selfish. But after a while, it's the mystery and the compelling supporting characters that sucks you in. 355 and the Dr are strong female characters and deserve much more than babysitting Yorick. Needless to say, their adventures drives the series toward the end. Y: The Last Man is an innovating story. I enjoy the art and the story and the writing and the characterization. Yorick grows on you. The story makes greater sense as more is revealed. But don't give up on just reading Volume one. It does get better and it does make a good saga. Recommended, but go easy on Yorick.

Keyword : y

Smartparts SP92 8.5-inch Digital Picture Wood Frame with Beige Matting (Ebony)

2008-12-03T22:01:00.001+07:00

Smartparts SP92 8.5-inch Digital Picture Wood Frame with Beige Matting (Ebony)

Not as advertised!

Do not buy this. You will not get what you thought you'd get. I don't know if the manufacturer changed the product since the original product description was written or what. But what shows up at the door is definitely not what's advertised. There is no internal memory in the frame. You MUST have a separate memory card to use it. And there is no way to control the speed of the slide show, meaning that unless you enjoy seeing pictures zip by every 1.5 seconds you will not like this frame. I had mine for a whopping 2 hours before I realized that it had none of the features I bought it for and it was quickly on it's way back to Amazon.

Finally figured out displaying photos in a particular order

Overall: very good picture quality with poor documentation and interface. Having 1500+ photos to get in the frame, I opted to use the supplied Optipix optimization s/w. This wound up making it difficult to arrange my photos and led to several discoveries about the product. Experimental Observations: a. Photos are displayed on the frame from earliest to latest modification date. b. Photos can be placed in folders on an SD card, folders will be displayed earliest to latest creation date. c. Optipix S/W handles horiz. pictures well, gets grainy on vert. pix. d. Internal memory only held about 1000 optimized pix in my case e. Internal memory access is slow via USB f. Need to have PC on and USB connected prior to booting frame to be able to delete files on internal memory via USB In the end, given that I saw 4GB SD cards free after rebate, the internal memory seemed like a waste of time. I finally settled on the following process for getting photos to display in order using an SD card: 1) Use Optipix for horiz. pix as needed for compression, store on PC. 2) Arrange pix in folders on SD card, being careful create folders in the order I want them displayed (makes it easier to manage groups of photos). 3) Change modification date of photos within folders (e.g. add an "_" to end of file name) to order pix if needed 4) Insert SD card into frame and sit back. I am pleased enough with the quality of the product to buy a couple more as gifts for the relatives, but I plan to set up the SD cards beforehand so it is plug-n-play for them.

Smartparts 11" SB1100B Digital Photo Frame

Have now had this Photo Frame for about 1 month and its worked perfectly. I have tried both the internal and external flash drive, and memory cards with no problems. The unit started up immediately and the memory card and flash drives were found with no problems and we got pictures on the frame from the get go. I don't see any overheating mentioned in other reviews. My unit is very cool to the touch even after hours of operation. The price is exceptional for an 11" ($99) and is a very good value. The colors are vivid and sharp and overall very good. I highly recommend this photo frame for manufacturing quality, picture quality, ease of operation, and low price.

not so subtle hints from the grandparents

After repeated compliments from the grandparents on EVERY visit since we purchased ours last summer...our choice for a Christmas gift for both sets of grandparents who have everything is easy this year. The larger screen is a must so the additional cost is worth it. We paid $60 more for ours which is exactly the same brand and size at a local discount warehouse store so that is my only complaint!

Product died in less than 1 year, and bad customer service

This product worked well enough for a few months. After that, though, it died. The company's customer service was terrible. They wanted to charge me an outrageous amount of money for a new power adapter plus shipping. Turns out that the problem was not the power adapter - the unit's just dead. Good luck with this company! I feel sorry for those who don't check reviews online.

Keyword : 8

I Can Has Cheezburger?: A LOLcat Colleckshun (Lolcat Colleckshun)

2008-12-02T18:01:00.001+07:00

I Can Has Cheezburger?: A LOLcat Colleckshun (Lolcat Colleckshun)

LOLcat lover's must have

This book is any LOLcats lover's favorite must-have item. I love mine! It captures the feel of the website, as well as being very handy for the inevetable power outage. It has made me laugh when I need it, and I got one to share, and spread the cheer around.

Wonderful humor.

If you like LOL Cats online, you'll love this book. Its a great little book for brightening up the day with all the antics cats are famous for.

Furkidsmom just luvs it!

As a true furkids mom with 8 year old siamese littermates, I truly enjoyed this book and it remains on my coffee table.

Must have

Whether these are your favorites from the web site or not, you need multiple copies of this book: one for home, one for your desk at work, etc. Coffee + this book = I can make it through my work day!

The Newer LOLCats iz moar funny

The book makes an awesome discussion piece, esp. over drinks. However the newer content on the website is a lot better than the print outs on the softcover. Most in the book are the original LOLcats. Good stuff though, if you have a pretty penny to spare, go for it.

Keyword : i

Bell'O 8190DB Adapter Plate to Convert All 8100 Series Mounts "For Dummies" (Piano Black)

2008-12-02T17:01:00.001+07:00

Bell'O 8190DB Adapter Plate to Convert All 8100 Series Mounts "For Dummies" (Piano Black)

Cheapest price for an adapter plate

If you're looking at this item, you've probably figured out by now that all LCD mounts are not made equally. These plates solved my problem (SONY LCD's have 200mm x 200mm hole spacing, which isn't supported by a lot of the 'universal' wall mounts) and at a great price.

Keyword : o

Breaking Dawn (The Twilight Saga, Book 4)

2008-12-01T09:01:00.001+07:00

Breaking Dawn (The Twilight Saga, Book 4)

Read For Yourself

I am almost hesitant to write a review for this considering how many people are voting positive reviews as "not helpful" just because they don't like the book. Therefore I will keep the details to a minimum. Just read the book and formulate your own opinion. There were a few things that I really did not like. A few things that I really liked. She should write more about the Pack. Their group dynamic has always intrigued me, and the chapters from Jacobs POV were my favorite parts in this book. The ending is very anti-climatic. I was hoping for some more carnage. Everyone gets their happy fuzzy ending, and of course it is left open for possible future books...

Don't listen to bad reviews!

I was expecting to be disappointed after seeing the 1/5 star reviews, but I loved the book!! Way to go Stephenie Meyer; I loved the series.

How else could it end?

I went out the day "Breaking Dawn" was released, purchased it and placed it on my shelf of things to read, among so many others. After all, it seemed so final, the end of the Bella, Edward and Jacob saga. So, during the Thanksgiving holidays, I decided it was time to tackle it while eating turkey! And although by now, I have heard or read several reviews that echoed fan disappointment, I was determined to read it and judge it for myself. I was going to savor every minute of the tale. I depart from other reviewers and fans because I found Breaking Dawn to be exactly what I expected and somewhat predictable, after all, what other outcome could there be? Bella and Edward were destined (although there were times that I hoped Jacob would lose the battle, but win the war); marriage and a baby were in the stars for the star crossed lovers; Jacob had to find happiness (unlike some, I didn't find his imprinting on Nessie offensive, quite the contrary since it didn't appear sexual in nature, at least not yet); Bella had to become immortal (what were the other three books leading up to?); and a battle between the good vamps and the bad vamps was destined. Did I enjoy this novel? Yes, but...not for the same reasons that I enjoyed the first three. This one seemed more mature (Yes, I am in my late 30's but enjoyed the series), and while it tackled some very mature issues (i.e., teen marriage, teen pregnancy, etc.) it was all very tastefully done. There weren't long, graphic sex scenes, but just impressions concerning what was happening and I think most parents would appreciate that. I also think it was a nice conclusion to a very enjoyable and entertaining series. All good things must come to an end, and while sometimes I prefer not to know how it all ended, I was ok with this one. I look forward to reading other Meyer novels, and will probably start with "The Host" since it is a couple books under Breaking Dawn on my shelf to read.

Thrilling conclusion to the Saga

Very exciting conclusion to The Twilight Saga. I couldn't put it down! The way the book was divided into sections from Bella's viewpoint and Jacob's viewpoint added a good perspective to the book. I don't want to give away the gist of the final book, but it was not anything I would have anticipated which made it that much more thrilling. You can't read the other three and miss this one.

Loved it! Stop reading the reviews and just read the book. Be your own judge!

I was so hesistant to read this book based on some of the negative reviews. However, while at the book store, I spoke to another Twilight Saga reader and she said, "ignore the reviews and instead read the book and judge for yourself." So that is what I did and the book definitely exceeded my expectations. It was awesome. I loved it. It was very engaging and I could barely put it down. I am honestly sad that the series is over and I have going to have to find something else to read:(

Keyword : 4

SIRIUS Sportster 5 Satellite Radio Receiver with Vehicle Kit

2008-12-01T08:01:00.001+07:00

SIRIUS Sportster 5 Satellite Radio Receiver with Vehicle Kit

I am in LOVE.

After much consideration I finally broke down and bought into satellite ratio. I ended up purchasing the Sportster 5 because you can get the best of XM added to your Sirius package. So far the radio is great! I can't believe how much I like. It looks really nice and is very easy to use. Reception is very good. I ended up having it professionally installed for a cleaner look and added the FM direct connection.

Frequent Problems

Perhaps I just got a bad receiver, but I've had problems with this receiver since about a month after purchase. It's never remembered my presets. It frequently gets stuck/hung up while updating channels, which was usually fixed by Sirius sending a reset signal to my receiver; however, this fix failed most recently, and the radio has been unusable for about a month now. It also started taking 15-30 seconds to start playing audio after start up saying it was "Acquiring Signal". Finally, very weak FM signal unless you have the direct connect or whatever its called. I've heard Sirius sent out a product notice about this issue and perhaps its been fixed in newer versions. Please note that the during all of this, the satellite receiver continually indicated full signal, so I don't think it was a problem with bad install or bad signal. I run out of patience dealing with Sirius's customer service system, so I guess I'll just buy a new receiver. The strange this is: I'll probably buy this one again in hopes I just got a faulty unit.

Love this thing!

This is my second Sirius Satellite radio; my first is a Stratus 4. This radio is incredible! The display is large and clear, and the 30 presets are more than I'll ever need. Probably my favorite option on this radio is the "memo," which allows me to save up to 30 songs or artists. When my favorites play anywhere on the dial, a little beep lets me know on what channel, and gives me an option to go to the song in a single click. I haven't really used the record option yet. I like the little remote, as well. it makes for really easy switching between channels. Unlike many, many other customers here, I've had nothing but pleasant experiences with customer service in the two or three times I've had to contact them. I might just be lucky in that regard. Or, it could be that the customer service is improving--who knows? The connections are easy; I use the direct connection through my car's tape deck. I understand that there may be many problems with the FM option. The sound is clear, and the volume control via the remote is very useful. The only real complaint I have is that, without the remote, it takes several steps to adjust the volume on the radio itself. I wish that were easier. But that's a small issue, really. I love Sirius, even though I'm not a Stern fan. Radio Margaritaville, Springsteen, the Dead, all have dedicated channels, and terrestrial radio has far, far too many commercials for my tastes any more. There's plenty of national news and talk from all over the political spectrum, and some good stations for more obscure classical rock music, as well. I really am enjoying my subscription.

great radio!

my husband really likes this radio. the face is really neat with all the colors. he says it's a bit static-y at times but for the price of the radio, he says it's not worth complaining about. he loves the idea that he can rewind radio time so he doesnt miss anything.

Great radio with the right connection to your car

I bought this for my wife's Civic when her favorite local station changed formats. Installation was easy using the enclosed Vehicle Kit, but the FM reception was lousy. There was no direct plug in option on our 2004 car. But, here is the secret. I bought an FM relay ($15), a little box that plugs directly in between the external antenna and the car radio and connects to the Sirius. That means that her radio now receives an FM modulation signal from the Sportster with absolutely no interference. Voila, great reception. Sirius, should simply provide this accessory at no charge, but it is cheap enough to buy and worth it.

Keyword : 5

A Spoonful of Poison (Agatha Raisin Mysteries, No. 19)

2008-11-30T04:01:00.001+07:00

A Spoonful of Poison (Agatha Raisin Mysteries, No. 19)

A SPOONFUL OF POISON

Love Agatha Raisin-the gal who allows all of us over - 50's who are less than perfect, live vicariously through her exploits. Terrific fun!

Simply defines the British cozy

What more charming setting could there be than a tiny stone village in the heart of the English Cotswolds? M. C. Beaton has a winning recipe when she adds in amateur sleuth Agatha Raisin and her supporting staff of old friends, current employees and hopefully a future beau. Nothing slows Agatha Raisin down when it comes to romance. "Agatha's Perception of beauty....was prompted by her hormones. If only Agatha hadn't seen that handsome man..." When Agatha is approached to handle a bit of public relations for a neighboring town's annual church fete, she decisively says no --- until she catches sight of George Selby. Then she quickly changes her mind. Despite the fact that business at her detective agency is overly brisk, she is about to let a handsome man add to her already hectic schedule. Hoping to be looked at as more than a PR person by this green-eyed bachelor, Agatha jumps in with enthusiasm and a head full of wonderful ideas to make this year's fundraiser at St. Odo the Severe in Comfrey Magna something to remember. In that goal, she is successful. Someone laced several jars of jam entered in the local competition, which causes a couple of deaths and a number of very sick attendees. Now Agatha's detective agency has a new case: catch the killer. Keeping George in her crosshairs, Agatha enlists the aid of her youngest detective, Toni, to help her track down the person who poisoned the church fete jam. She soon finds that there is no shortage of suspects. Several of the town's women seem to have plausible motives, including winning the affections of George Selby. The little hamlet of Comfrey Magna has more secrets than it has citizens, and Agatha exposes a few that put her in grave danger. It appears possible that the killer has struck again when one of the ladies who Agatha and Toni interviewed ends up dead in what looks like a suicide. But is it? Before the tragedy that ruined the village celebration, the church had raked in much more than it had in past years, a large enough sum that the vicar worries where to put it for safe keeping. Trouble follows the money, and Agatha ends up with even more on her hands. Now she needs to find the killer and the missing loot. Meanwhile, the cast of characters grows. Sir Charles Fraith, whom Agatha blithely overlooks as a serious candidate for romance, drops in on her now and then, occasionally spending the night at her home. He may have even saved her life this time. At the very least, he saved her some embarrassment. An ex-employee of the agency, Jimmy, takes an interest in pretty young Toni, causing her some uncomfortable moments. And a few others weave themselves in and out of the story to complicate Agatha's days and her solving of the mystery. A SPOONFUL OF POISON simply defines the British cozy. As the tension ratchets up, so does the love interest level. And along the way, readers are treated to a glimpse of the quaint countryside that comprises the beautiful Cotswolds. It doesn't get much better than that. --- Reviewed by Kate Ayers

Same Ole, Same Ole

Some novelists and series one likes simply because of innovative narrative, haunting characters, and the beautiful usage of the English language. Then there are novelists and series one reads simply out of habit; MC Beaton and her Agatha Raisin novels fall into the latter category. Approximately 18 novels into the series, and Agatha is firmly a one-note character starring in a one-note series. Perhaps author Beaton has sensed this because the past five Raisin novels or so have featured dabblings into the darker psychological thriller genre, but with decidedly tepid results. It may be noted this review does not touch upon the narrative of "A Spoon ful of Poison." Suffice it to say, there was a spoonful narrative, spoonful of plot and a spoonful of characterization. Our dear Agatha needs a new and improved recipe -- quick!

TWO SCOOPS OF RAISIN!!!

I ALWAYS enjoy Agatha Raisin and her antics with the men in her life and this book was no disappointment. I'm so glad I stumbled onto it. I usually read the front flap of a book before I buy it, but not Agatha Raisin. When I see a new one I snatch it up IMMEDIATELY. Looking forward to the next one.

A Heaping Spoonful of Agatha Makes Perfect Village Mystery

The irascible Agatha Raisin returns in her nineteenth adventure, as feisty, headstrong, and obnoxious as the day readers first fell in love with her. The outspoken sleuth is ready to tell the vicar of St. Odo the Severe she'll have nothing to do with helping him organize his church fete until she discovers handsome George Selby is also a volunteer. Man-hungry as ever, Agatha plunges headlong into making the small village fete the talk of the country and manages to bring murder and mayhem into the village. When someone puts LSD into the jam, lots of the young people are happily stoned, but two of the village's elder citizens hallucinate themselves into death and Agatha's detective agency must solve the case in order to save its reputation. More murders plus one from the past will all be solved in the typical Raisin style followers of the series have come to love. Old favorites like Sir Charles Fraith, Roy Silver, Mrs. Bloxby, and Bill Wong are all here as well as more recent additions like the lovely young Toni Gilmour and sometimes-employee Harry Beam. If you've been following the madcap adventures of Agatha and crew, you won't want to miss this latest installment. The return of James Lacey and Agatha's new hair extensions will have you howling and eagerly anticipating the meaning of Agatha's wave of fear and sense that something is terribly wrong with James.

Keyword : m

Creative Zen X-Fi 32 GB Video MP3 Player with Wireless LAN and Built-In Speaker (Black/Silver)

2008-11-30T03:01:00.001+07:00

Creative Zen X-Fi 32 GB Video MP3 Player with Wireless LAN and Built-In Speaker (Black/Silver)

exceptional product

This is a great device. I use it at ballgames because of the FM radio and the fact that it fits comfortably in my pocket. The videos play well and the available storage and SD card slot means I have plenty of ways to carry my picture along to share. The ear buds have a great sound because of the X-FI technology. I have been very pleased with this and all of the products I have purchased from Creative. Creative is a very economical alternative to the I-pod.

Counterintuitive

I have never in my life had to read the instructions to figure out how to adjust volume..until now, and that was one of the easier features to figure out. I'll admit that I am not a computer buff, but my bf is, and not even he could figure this thing out. The software is another thing I had probs with. It loaded half the time, but I was never able to transfer lists I made on the computer to the player. I was also unable to make lists on the player manually, so the music was disorganized. I'd have to sift through the list alphabetically to get to another tune I wanted to hear at the time..very irritating Oh ya, and the volume. One thing is for sure...and that is that you wont go deaf by listening to music with this. ALL of my other players had higher volume than this even old CD players Very complicated and not fully functional Big disappointment

Disappointing audio quality

Very disappointing unit. Neither the Bass Boost nor equalizer settings worked at all. Regardless of whether those functions were switched on or off the audio flowing through the headphones sounded very similar in range to that of the the external speaker on the back of the unit. Not recommended.

Horrible Software and couldn't play MP4 video!!!

My main reason for buying this was because of all the positive review about the sound quality and yes it's OK but that what i expected. It sound just a TINY bit better than my 30 GB video ipod when playing mp3. The processed i had to do through to open it and set it all up was over 30 minutes, which is just annoying and frustrating. The sound is not all that great as they made it to be. My ipod sound just as good... by the way i do use the seinheinsser CX500 earbud. The earbud that they put with this isn't that great either, wouldn't fit my ear and stay in. Sound was ok from it. Im returning it but before i do im just going to give it one more chance and convert my mp4 files to avi and see how it sound compare to ipod.

Just OK

When I first got my 32 gb X-fi, I was very satisfied with it. I was pleased that I got it to work with my Mac through xnjb and loved the external speaker. I liked the assignable short cut button and managing my library (such as deleting songs and editing playlists) through the player was convenient. However, I found that the bass sounded very distorted, whether it was the included earbuds or the player itself, I'm not sure. I tried many genres of music and various audio settings including the crystalizer, but no change. When the battery started running low, it would crash many times and I would have to reset it. Button navigation was mediocre, especially scrolling through artists, though using the alphabet on the side did help a little. I didn't think the wi-fi capabilities were all they were cracked up to be. Plus the instant messaging was pointless. In the end, I decided to return it after about 2 months and got a refurbished iPod Touch which was only about $30 more.

Keyword : x

Lady Q: The Rise and Fall of a Latin Queen

2008-11-28T23:01:00.001+07:00

Lady Q: The Rise and Fall of a Latin Queen

Mediocre. I was a little disappointed.

I read My Bloody Life and DEVOURED every word on every page, I was completely impressed with it and passed it on to many people who loved it just as much as I did. Of course, upon finishing that book, I couldnt wait to get my hands on the second book, Once a King, Always a King, which I also loved and passed on to others who were anxiously waiting ti read it. So you can imagine how eager I was to read THIS one, I was instantly intrigued when I saw it was about the same type of situation but while focusing on a female. Oh how disappointing. I found myself reading it and being far more critical about the subjectof the book, which I didnt like feeling. I'm not sure what could have improved it, I just wanted to write this to let others know that if you've read the other two and enjoyed them and are looking forward to reading this one and being equally satisfied, you probably wont be.

Fluffy

What a bunch of fluff to cover up all the lives Lady Q messed up and murdered. She knows right from wrong and she still can't get it together. Her first child was damaged from all the drug and drink she did. She should have to pay for all the extra special education the child needed not the tax payers. I don't have any sympathy for her. Like I said she knew right from wrong and choose to do the wrong. Grow up!

Incredible book, chilling, will bring tears to your eyes, sonia's story must be read!!

Never could i imagined being in Sonia's shoes. The pain she endured during her life was painful and hard to believe. I can't believe she lived a life like that. While she told her story of being an abused child, unloved and unwanted, I just wanted to reach through the pages in the book, give her a hug, and rescue her from her painful life. This book is definitley a must read for anyone who is thinking about gang-life. And even if your not thinking about gang life, it's an incredible, heartbreaking story that people must read.

It was OK...

I have read both of Reymundo Sanchez books and they were great! But this book... pretty much repeated it self over and over and over again. I dont want to say too much without giving the entire book but I'll let you be the judge. I read the book in 5 days and was just simply not what I expected.

Keyword : q

Sony DVP-NS700H/B 1080p Upscaling DVD Player, Black

2008-11-28T22:01:00.001+07:00

Sony DVP-NS700H/B 1080p Upscaling DVD Player, Black

AVOID THIS DVD PLAYER

DO NOT BUY THIS DVD PLAYER. I HAVE HAD IT FOR 6 MONTHS. 90% OF THE TIME WHEN WE ARE WATCHING A DVD, THE PLAYER WILL EITHER STOP PLAYING COMPLETELY OR, MORE FREQUENTLY, SUDDENLY THERE WILL BE NO SOUND. I HAVE TO STOP THE PLAYER, OPEN THE DRAWER AND/OR CHANGE THE SETTING FROM NORMAL TO PROGRESSIVE AND THEN BACK TO NORMAL. THEN IT WILL PLAY AGAIN AS NORMAL. THIS HAS HAPPENED AS MANY AS FIVE TIMES DURING A 90 MINUTE DVD. SONY WANTS ME TO SEND IT IN FOR REPAIR, AT MY EXPENSE. I SAY NO, THEY SHOULD REPLACE IT OR PAY FOR ALL COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH REPAIR. NEVER ANOTHER SONY PRODUCT. EVER. BE WARNED.

Awesome picture quality & sleek looks

I bought this Sony upscaling DVD player four months ago and have used it quite a lot in this time. First, it totally outscores all other DVD players in ine aspect for sure and that is the upscaling property & picture quality. It's not as high as Blu-Ray, but it surely reaches 1080p HD quality. I was about to buy a "Samsung 1080P8 upconverting player", since it was showing as bestselling on Amazon. the after reading one review I searched for "upscaling" player and found this one. It's black sleek looks suit my Samsung LN46A750 and a sleek mounting balck stand. It is not noisy when DVD is inside and can remember the playback time of 6 DVDs. There are a variety of audio & video options to play with. The buttons on the player are a hard to see, but then I mostly use remote, which is very sleek and easy-to-use as well. Overall, it is a good buy at this price till Blu-Ray prices take a dive.

amazing quality upgrade

you can't beat sony for dvd upconversion. light weight and easy to set up!

It Delivers

Sony DVP-NS700H/B 1080p Upscaling DVD Player, Black It delivers a great picture, and it is easy to operate.

Sony Upscaling DVD Player

Also happy with all aspects of this purchase. Very efficient, price was great as usual, and delivery prompt.

Keyword : b

The Art of WALL.E

2008-11-27T18:01:00.001+07:00

The Art of WALL.E

Genius

Pixar makes amazing movies, and this book shows the average Joe why. Brimming with awe-inspiring pre-production artwork, you just have to love everything this studio does. A great book for the best movie of 2008.

Over average Pixar's "art of" series book

Although most Pixar's "art of" series of books are very good to excellent, this one is just slightly over a fair rating. The book is full of artwork from several of Pixar's artists, a lot of very early works from pencil to digital (in this case, a lot more digital works than previous movies), and to my surprise extremely few watercolour. It lacks some of the other design and concept, and even evolution of works, from other excellent Pixar books such as The Art of Finding Nemo. There are fair description of character evolution, few construction, and a fair converage of the work from concept to final stages. The book is, however, a must for any Pixar enthusiast, and since the movie is one of the Pixar's best, this leverages the book to a fine piece of artwork.

Love that Wall.E! ~* 5 Star*~

This book was for my daughter and she loves it. If you are a fan of Wall.E art and are interested in learning more about the movie then this book is for you.

mmmmm......

Mix feelings about this one. The info its great like always and its nice to read. But the pictures, although many and beatiful, they are not so stricking as other publications such as the art of the incredibles, the art of ratatouille, ect. Nice to own though.

The "E" in Wall.E stands for Excellent

The "Art of ---- " books that are published in connection with the release of (mostly) animated films have evolved over the years from expensive, large format, coffee table smashers to smaller (and thankfully less expensive) formats. However, the artwork between the covers of the latest generation of these books is no less lush. In the tradition of "Art of..." books, The Art of Wall.E documents the development of the characters and story line through a wealth of drawings that range from thumbnails to painstakingly executed paintings. It seems that in making these movies no possible detail is overlooked with the very talented folks at Pixar sweating even the smallest of them. If you enjoyed the movie, owning the book is a great way to enrich and prolong the experience.

Keyword : e

HP Officejet Pro L7780 Color All-in-One Printer/Fax/Scanner/Copier (C8192A#ABA)

2008-11-27T17:01:00.001+07:00

HP Officejet Pro L7780 Color All-in-One Printer/Fax/Scanner/Copier (C8192A#ABA)

Careful of SP3 for XP Pro

system was working fine uuntil we installed SP3 for XP Pro. Then lost iner-compatibility between scan, fax, copy and print. HP tech support seemed clueless and we spent several days (and more than what several replacement units would cost)and system is still not corrected. HP is "working on it" although they have fixed problem for those using Vista operating systems. We want anoperating Solution Center component back!!! Or maybe we should return unit to HP for one that will work as advertised???

Not What I Expected

I purchased this printer September 2007 with the duplex option. First off, paper kept jamming and crumbling every time I tried to use the duplexer. Additionally, pages were printing with white lines across the paper. Tried getting technical assistance but nothing worked. I actually had to use another printer to print my final documents for my job. The final straw was when the 'carriage jam' error message kept appearing and the machine stopped working altogether. I got no help from HP who simply sent me an acknowledgment of receiving my complaint and never followed. Amazon was really good in accepting my returned item and refunding me. Bottom line, I would not recommend this printer at all.

Another Amazing HP Product

This printer is a replacement to an old HP C3180 All-in-one. I have always used HP printers and they really have never disappointed me at all. The quality is good and the prices are competitive with other brands. The C3180 I had previously just ceased to function, so I started looking for a replacement, and I found this wonderful machine. It absolutely does everything! Setup of the machine was really easy, and went on without a hitch. The printer does take a good amount of hands on assembly, but the instructions that come with the printer are quite clear and easy to understand. I didn't really find the manual for the printer to be much help though. Many people have said that it was hard to set up the wireless with the automatic DHCP that is on the machine, but it worked for me without a hitch. It told me the IP that it was using, and I just typed that into all my computers and it was connected instantaneously. I did have a problem with the controls on the machine freezing up, but that was easily fixed by downloading the latest firmware on HP's website. I also did not use the disks included, but downloaded the basic print and scan drivers from HP's website also. Most of the stuff on the full featured download for the printer were really not necessary and not worth the extra time to download. Copying and Scanning with the printer: Copying is a breeze with this machine. The ADF works flawlessly, and so does the glass flatbed. The quality of the copies just blew me away because it was so much better than any copies I have ever seen before. They were of the quality, if not better than a laser printer. My favorite part of the copy function is all the things you can manipulate. The printer has set ratios that you can use to resize pages to, and it really works great. You can also set it to make the copy lighter or darker than the original, change the DPI of the copies, and more. The speed of copying can also be changed to fast, normal, or best. Copies on the fast mode are flawless, and I imagine they are even better on the best setting. It also has a copy preview function so that you can see what is going to come out beforehand. The ADF can also handle double sided copies quite well. It is fast and efficient! The scanner works well also. I was able to scan to my computer with a USB cable, but I haven't tried it wirelessly yet. The printer comes with the IRIS OCR text converter also, so you can take a scan and convert it to editable text, which is so convenient and such a timesaver. It can scan up to 19200 DPI, which takes awhile, but the quality is outstanding. I can't believe how detailed it can scan! It also can scan to a flash drive or SD card in a PDF format, JPEG, or TIFF. I haven't been able to figure out the Digital filing yet, but I will update the review when I try it. The scanner also is used to scan pictures, and then you can edit them right on the Photosmart essential software on the printer. Faxing with the printer: This printer is also a heavy duty fax machine! It faxes color and black at a speedy 33.6K. When it is hooked to a line shared with a phone, it also rings when there is a call, and displays the caller ID. It can also print off receipts of faxes that they were sent, and if you want to, you can print off all of the sent faxes. The ADF can handle double sided faxes also. It prompts you before faxing as to if you are going to use the ADF or the glass flatbed. The fax also has all the controls of the copier portion, so you also can resize and lighten or darken faxes. The printer's onboard memory also is probably sufficient for holding about 25-30 faxes total. It also will let you set how many rings on the phone before automatically answering. Printing and other features: I have only one thing to say about the printing. WOW! The print quality is absolutely amazing. The fastest that it can print is 35PPM, and I was able to achieve that speed by using the fast draft mode. The quality was still excellent in that mode, and it is wonderful in the high quality mode. The colors are quite vivid, and the ink tanks seem to last quite awhile. I recommend getting the 88XL cartridges because they are the best deal for lowest cost per page. The printer's duplexer works great, and I haven't seen a smudge on any duplexed paper. The prints come out perfectly every time. Both trays on the printer work well, and they seem very efficient. I have all of the prints come out of tray one, and all prints for the copier and fax coming out of tray two. It also has the ability to print on envelopes, which is a huge plus since I do a lot of mailing. In the future, I may fill tray one with envelopes and lock it, and then fill tray two with paper and have all copies/faxes/prints come from that one. Overall, I give this printer a 5 star for the quality, ease of use, and pricepoint. I was originally skeptical of this printer because of the negative reviews, but I went ahead and got it. I sure am glad that I did! Great job HP!

Will not Scan to Direct Digital Filing on Small Business Server 2003

HP support confirms OfficeJet direct digital filing is incompatible with Microsoft Small Business Server 2003. Unsuccessfully tried various work arounds from the web. If this capability is important to you under Small Business Server 2003, be forewarned.

What a rip-off

There's only one thing wrong with this machine. I'll get to that in a minute. The OfficeJet L7780 is a great all-in-one, much better than the 6100 series was. Print quality is great, mechanical operation is acceptable, the power-saving features and wireless communication are very worthwhile. The printer's biggest draw is an advertised per-page cost lower than a laser printer, and much lower than the single-cartridge DeskJet printers. It's very enticing. And it might be true -- if you ever get around to using up a whole cartridge of ink. But before you get to that point, the printer gives an error message: "The following ink cartridge(s) appear to be missing or damaged." There's nothing wrong with your ink cartridges. One of them has simply been in your printer longer than HP thinks it should be. When you install a new cartridge, the printer starts a timer for that cartridge, and when the timer counts down to zero, the printer pops up the "missing or damaged" error message. And it's a hard error, too. There's no way around it, according to HP, except to replace the affected ink cartridge -- even if that cartridge is still 1/3 or 1/2 full of ink. HP was either too clever (or too STUPID, depending on your point of view) to have the printer issue a simple warning message saying, "The indicated cartridge has hit its shelf life limit," and giving you the choice to continue printing until you get around to replacing the cartridge. And HP was just too STUPID -- and inconsiderate of users -- to give the user any advance warning: "The indicated cartridge will hit its shelf life limit in two days." No, it happens suddenly, without warning, and it locks up the entire all-in-one. I really expected better than this from HP. (And then there's the issue of WHY these new-and-improved inks have such a short shelf life. Maybe HP laid off their good ink chemists and imported some cheaper ones from China.) This problem is insidious, and it's pervasive. It affects all HP inkjet printers. Searching on the web turns up several workarounds, but a user SHOULD NOT have to do any of them. Until HP releases a firmware upgrade that gets rid of this design defect, the OfficeJet L7780 gets only one star, and this is the last HP printer I will buy (I've been buying them since ThinkJet days).

Keyword : l

Avenue Q

2008-11-26T13:01:00.001+07:00

Avenue Q

I loved the show and I love this book!!

I dont want to ruin the book for you. If you loved the show then buy the book. I got it for my wife as a birthday present. Enjoy its funny.

Welcome to Avenue Q

This book is super fun! It has tons of awesome details about the writer and the story's background. Lots of pictures from the show. And I really enjoyed reading the whole script! It's all in here! From "It Sucks to be Me" to "You Can be as Loud as the Hell You Want" to "For Now"! The entire script is there so you can make sure you didn't miss anything from the show! The only problem with this book is: you may be picking monster hair out of your mouth when you read it! This book is super hairy! But it's all part of the fun!

Must have book for terrific show

After seeing the touring version of AVE Q, I had to get this book. It has become my favorite show ranking over Phantom of the Opera and Les Miz. (I nerver thought that would be possible.) The book is colorful, full of fun information and most important the full text of the show. Lots of pictures and interviews including other casts besides the original Broadway cast. As for the mentions of the orange fur shedding, I immediately sprayed both covers with a couple coats of hair spray and it has not shed at all. Only fault I have is the book was published before the tour so no pictures of that excellent cast headed by the wonderful Rob McClure. Don't wait BUY THIS BOOK!

Great companion

Fun and whimsical, this book servers as a great "coffee table" companion to the play itself. It contains the usual info about the creation of the show and its original cast, as well as the full script. If I've any criticism, it's with the "furry" orange cover, which, though fun, tends to shed.

Great show

The show was great - the book is wonderful with the lyrics and such. The key downside to the book is that it sheds.

Keyword : q

Brother PT-1280 P-touch Electronic Labeling System

2008-11-26T12:01:00.001+07:00

Brother PT-1280 P-touch Electronic Labeling System

Terrible Product

This all started when I wanted to get a labeler to get more organized. I started with the Brother P-Touch PT-80 which worked as advertised, but ate batteries so fast that I couldn't keep up with it. I eventually had a friend take it apart and solder a plug so that it runs from the wall power (used a plug that you can change the voltage on it, like you find at Radio Shack). When the time came to get another labeler for my office, I decided to try this model (PT-1280) since it came with the option for a wall plug. This product is so terrible that I would rather buy another PT-80 and take that one apart to make it run off a wall plug. That is how bad this product is - I'd rather void the warranty of another device than use this out-of-the-box junk. The main issue is that by default this device does not print labels correctly within the margins. All research seems to point that you need to reset your margins and text size every time you want to print. When a device can't seem to do even its basic function correctly, it's time to look for another device. Brother should be embarrassed that this product is still being sold with their name on it. I've started using some tape and a marker instead of picking up this labeler. If you are looking for an easy solution, this is not the product for you. Pick another company or at least a different Brother product.

Do Not Waste Your Money!

If I could give this labeler negative stars, I would. It is a money waster. Every time you print a label, it wastes 2 inches of label tape on either side and you have to end up cutting the excess off. The label tape is very expensive and the labeler continously wastes it! Please consider another labeler because you will hate making labels with this one!

Not bad for a labeler under $30.

Slightly annoyed by the amount of tape that it wastes but for under $30, not a bad purchase for someone who needs a labeler on occasion. If you are a bit OCD or like to label everything, perhaps you may want to look elsewhere?

PT-1280 is a cheap machine to buy, expensive to keep in labels!

Agree with ALL of the reviews about the PT-1280 wasting label ribbon. I bought this machine about 4 months ago at a Staples while I was in store to fill an immediate need. Sadly, I didn't do my normal research & check how much it was on Amazon or, more importantly, read any reviews. The cost of the machine itself is cheap, but the label ribbons are so pricey you think twice about labelling. In addition to the narrow margin & chain print functions (which you have to set EVERY time), another way I've managed to get more out of the label ribbon is by using the carriage return/ENTER key. I stack titles on top of one another to make the ribbon last longer. But again, you have to use scissors to trim the 2 separate lines in 1/2 - which defeats the purpose of having a label maker... I wouldn't buy this again ever. But since I have it I buy labels from ptouchdirect to make the best of a bad situation.

wasted tape = swindle

Bought, tried, returned. (Should've read online reviews first and skipped all three steps!) Simply put, the replacement tape is expensive, and this machine is designed to waste as much of it as possible. Using the "narrow margin" setting only slightly reduces the waste on one side; on the other side it spits out all the same waste and then tells you to cut it off by hand. I went and got a cheap Dymo labeler instead. Its features and interface are much worse than the Brother's, but it's not designed to perpetrate a transparent swindle like this thing is.

Keyword : p

I Hate Your Guts

2008-11-25T06:01:00.001+07:00

I Hate Your Guts

Oh Yimmy Norton you've done it again!

If you liked Monster Rain, or Lil Yimmy's other book, Happy Endings you will love I hate Your Guts. This books is just like Happy Endings except this time there is an actual purpose to this book, and that is to let you know whose guts little Jimmy Norton hates! Jimmy is if you don't know the 3rd chair on Opie and Anthony, was on the HBO hit Lucky Louie and is a very successful Comedian with a cult following. If you like George Carlin, or Richard Pryor, give little Jimmy a try, his dark humor and honestly will win your little heart over in no time at all! I read this book in 3 days, and it is a true winner and well worth the $15 I paid for it. If you hate Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton, Al Roker, Derek Jeter, or Robert Kelly, you will love this book.

Norton Delivers Big on 2nd Book

Jim Norton is, (at his core) a good man with a heart of gold who genuinely, and passionately cares about what he puts out there. That being said, he also has an exceedingly dark, twisted sense of humor. Jimmy is a fantastic entertainer in any medium, and this book is no exception. Whether you're familiar with his work as a stand-up comic, a fan of his daily musings as the prolific 3rd mic on The Opie & Anthony Show, or a newcomer to his inimical style of humor... BUY THIS BOOK! I've never laughed out loud while reading anything the way I have with this raucously hilarious book. He unabashedly critiques, dismantles, and verbally eviscerates several pop culture personalities in an intelligent way, clearly making his point while still eliciting laughs from the reader. If you're not a fan of Jim Norton yet, you most certainly will be after reading this book... unless of course you happen to be Al Sharpton, Steve Martin, Keith Olberman, the New York Yankees, Al Roker, Dr. Phil, Heather Mills, or any one of the many other knuckleheads Jimmy thoroughly destroys in this book as only he can.

Frrrunkis

I loved his first book and I love his second book as well. The people included in this book deserve all the negative attention this book brings to them....except stupid Vos and fat Bob Kelly.

I Hate Your Guts

Jim Norton's second best selling title is just as good if not better then his previous "happy endings", his commentary of current events and people is hilarious he rips everyone in the book including al sharpton, al roker, the pregnant man,starbucks and many more..if your a O&A fan or a fan of cringe humor PICK UP THIS BOOK

Little Jimmy Kills AGAIN

Little Jimmy Norton has another bestseller!! Brutally honest and 100% Jim Norton!! Go for the trifecta!!!

Keyword : i

Transcend 4 GB SDHC SD Class 6 Flash Memory Card TS4GSDHC6E [Amazon Frustration-Free Packaging]

2008-11-25T05:01:00.001+07:00

Transcend 4 GB SDHC SD Class 6 Flash Memory Card TS4GSDHC6E [Amazon Frustration-Free Packaging]

Cheap Card

I have used this card for a few days and it already created corrupted photos twice in my Kodak camera even after formatting. Since the card was so cheap($10) I will keep it as a backup,my Sandisk Ultra II cards have never given me any problems.

Works fine

I got this card over a month ago and have used it with my Canon Xsi. It has worked fine and given no trouble at all. As far as I am concerned I got exactly what I was looking for, an inexpensive reliable sdhc card.

You get what you pay for.

I will never buy a transcend product ever again! After using this a few times in my camera, it went dead. You get what you pay for.

Great performing card at a great price.

SDHC cards are now amazingly cheap, so if your device can handle it, it doesn't make sense to go smaller. This card performs very quickly in a Panasonic TZ5 camera. There is only minimal delay when capturing 9M stills or HD video. As usual, great service from Amazon.

Fast, Inexpensive, and does the job!

I haven't had any problems using this memory card with my Canon PowerShot SD770IS. I can take around 1,100 photos on the card with the quality set to 10 Megapixel.

Keyword : 6

The Unwilling Umpire (A to Z Mysteries)

2008-11-24T01:01:00.001+07:00

The Unwilling Umpire (A to Z Mysteries)

Great Children's Mystery Series

My daughter is working her way through all of these. They flow well, have a great storyline, and yet leave some clues for the kids to solve at the end. I don't know what she will read when she gets to Z.

tHE BEST review

i didn't buy this book. i got it at the libray. i have read every book in the series!

Awesome!

This is one of the best books I have ever read! This series is about three kids who like to solve mysteries. In this book one of Ruth Rose, Dink, and Josh's friends autographed baseballs are stolen and they need to find out who stole them. If you love mysteries read this series! Ages 6-9.

Keyword : z

Axion AXN-9702 7-Inch Widescreen LCD Digital Picture Frame with Clock, Calendar and Alarm

2008-11-24T00:01:00.001+07:00

Axion AXN-9702 7-Inch Widescreen LCD Digital Picture Frame with Clock, Calendar and Alarm

You get what you pay for

Not a good product. Very little built in storage (was able to upload less than 20 photos). Picture quality is poor. User interface is clunky. It appears that there is no way to adjust the time. All in all, very disappointing. I highly encourage anyone in the market for a digital frame to pay up for better quality. You will be happy that you did.

Best for the Price

Bought for my husband who travels a lot. Loaded a lot of pictures and he enjoyed a lot. Picture quality may not be as good as more expensive product, but this dose the work. Can't ask more for the price.

Terrible. Don't buy it.

This product is simply terrible. There is no random feature so pictures are displayed in date order. Plus there are display features that are imposed on top of the photo showing battery life and mode that cannot be removed. Terrible terrible terrible. Don't buy it.

Nice Low Price Digital Picture Frame - Recommended

The Axion 7" Digital Picture Frame is a real deal if you consider what you are getting for the money: * Good Size Display * Fairly Clear Display * MP3 Support (works well!) * Support For USB Thumb Drive * Support For SD/MS/MMC/xD Cards * Clock/Calendar/Alarm * Remote Control The unit worked right out of the box and I didn't even have to read the directions to get most of the functions working. We are using this in our candle shop to display pictures of custom items that we do not want stock due to space restrictions. So far we are very happy with the performace and quality. Recommended!

Axion AXN-9702 7" - Well worth it.

Ordered this item when it was on Gold Box for $40. Pros: 1. Nice looking design - it would be nice if they offered other colors besides white. 2. Easy set-up - I didn't read the instructions. 3. Has a remote and has a good range - like, from across the room. 4. Has a calendar, clock, alarm, view pix or mp3s or both. 5. Has internal memory to download pixs (not many can be loaded, 15 pixs, and nothing stated in their instructions as to how large the internal memory is). 6. Can view in many angles. 7. Takes SD cards, even a SDHC card - I loaded a 4gb card. Cons: 1. No instructions on how large capacity SD card you can use. I just popped in my 4gb and it worked, thank goodness. 2. Sound can't get very low - it's pretty loud (to me). 3. Can't control volume on remote. 4. No on-screen indicator if alarm is on. 5. Can't change color of clock's digital font (yellow!); would've preferred blue. 6. No alarm selections, so you get the telephone ring of pre-digital phones (ring ring). Would be nice if we could use an mp3 file. 7. Doesn't use batteries - for clock to stay current if there's a power surge or such. 8. No firmware updates, if anyone is wondering. Regarding the pixs and music: it uses jpgs and mp3s. I put all my pixs in a folder and resized them all to 1024x768. Then put it a folder of mp3s. Copied the folder to my 4gb SDHC and it works just fine. Zoom button: nice when you want to view an image in a bit larger format. If using pixs in slideshow, it will pause to this image til you click play. It will actually resize to 25%, 50%, 100%, 150%, and 200%. Rotate button: for you folks who don't rotate you jpgs before copying into your SD card, you can press this button. Registered this product on their on-line site (30 day warranty); no extended warranty available. Even with it's shortcomings, it's definitely worth it!

Keyword : 7

The Hour I First Believed: A Novel

2008-11-22T20:01:00.001+07:00

The Hour I First Believed: A Novel

Despair and Grief at It's Finest

I could not wait for The Hour I First Believed to be released on November 11th. My Amazon copy arrived on Wednesday 11-12-08, and I immediately began to read, and read, and read. This book was 752 pages, and for me (8) days of reading. I have been a huge Wally Lamb fan after reading: She's Come Undone, and I Know This Much Is True: A Novel (P.S.). This new book comes after a 10 year dry spell. One of Lamb's talents has always been the ability to write so beautifully about damaged people. This new novel is no exception. Caelum Quirk is a forty-seven-year-old high school teacher, married for the third time. His younger wife, Maureen, is a school nurse at the same school-- Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado. In April 1999, Caelum returns home to Three Rivers, Connecticut, to be with his aunt who has just had a stroke, but Maureen stays behind. She finds herself in the school library at Columbine, cowering in a cabinet and expecting to be killed, as two vengeful students go on a carefully premeditated, murderous rampage. Miraculously she survives, but at a cost -- she is unable to recover from the trauma. Caelum and Maureen flee Colorado and return to an illusion of safety at the Quirk family farm in Three Rivers. But the effects of chaos are not so easily forgotten, and further tragedy ensues. The Columbine portion of this story reminded me of Nineteen Minutes, however, Lamb, chose to use the actual names of the shooters and the victims in this story. This novel, is not just a story about Columbine, although the aftermaths of the shooting follow Maureen and Caelum throughout the story. This novel is about so much more. In fact, within this book are stories which span five generations. Caelum uncovers secrets of his past, and that of his ancestors after finding old diaries, letters, and newspaper clippings in an upstairs bedroom of his family's house. Piece by piece, he reconstructs the lives of those who came before him, and along the way as secrets emerge, he is better able to understand his own troubled past. It is evident that this book was painstakinly researched, and brilliantly written. I really liked this book, but I felt that the book dragged in parts. It is almost like there was way too much going on in this book, and in my opinion, the book might have benefited from a little more editing.

Long wait, big disappointment

After waiting 10 years for Wally Lamb to write another great book, I was sorely disappointed in this one. I did finish it but there were several times when I almost gave up. The main character irritated me so much I wanted to reach into the pages and slap him. And I never quite figured out what the book's theme was: teenage violence, women's prisons, dysfunctional marriages, weird teenage girls, Hurricane Katrina, dairy farming, yellow Mustangs, the butterfly affect, Mark Twain....it was such a mixed-up bag of messages, enough to frustrate any Wally Lamb fan. And, as another reviewer noted, all the characters that might have been truly interesting were dead and we never get to meet them except through writings or Caelum's self-centered mind. One of the greatest living American writer's, Joyce Carol Oates wrote a novel based on the Jon Benet Ramsey murder and did a far, far better job of incorporating a violent true-life event into a brilliant tour de force about a young man's trauma in the aftermath of disaster. Mr. Lamb's latest does not seem like 10 years worth of work but it did seem like it took 10 years to read it.

Dark but Beautiful

If you allow it, this book will effect your mood. The story ties in actual events that took place at Columbine High with the actual people, places and evidence tied into a fictional account of the narrator/author's account of things happining in his life before,during and the most compelling, dark period, after the columbine murders and it's affect it takes on himself and his wife and the world around him. This is truly dark stuff, because you KNOW that someone, somewhere is experiencing exactly what your reading in this book. If the general story doesn't sound interesting enough for a 750+ page hardcover book, don't worry, the story will not allow you to put the book down as the pages fly by. I have had the book for 3 days and have finished it and didn't once feel like I was reading a (big) book. Great book, but beware. The author touches on alot of personal subjects that cover depression, anxiety, sexual abuse, murder, adultery, and a host of others that can and will carry with you after you put the book down.

Mixed on this one

I've waited literally a decade for the new Wally Lamb, and the first few hundred pages had me riveted (Columbine). Then the story took a left (east coast) turn and I found myself reading an Anne Rice-like whodunit. For the last 300 pages or so, none of the characters were in the here and now - we meet them through journals, newspaper clippings and a doctoral thesis. Sorry, but this left me a bit cold. And did anyone find the ending rather disjointed? It felt to me like he had all of these leftover plot devices and decided to throw them all in the blender rather than throw any of them out.

Read it - you will be glad you did!

This is another awesome book by the amazing Wally Lamb. This story is so intense and interesting that I could hardly put the book down to eat or sleep. Lamb knows how to write in a way that allows you to connect to each character, even the ones that are unsavory. Lamb is brilliant and I thank him for yet another great book.

Keyword : i

Memorex 16X DVD-R (100-Pack Spindle)

2008-11-22T19:01:00.001+07:00

Memorex 16X DVD-R (100-Pack Spindle)

Great Quality on Blank Media

Another brand that I barely find a coaster on is the Memorex DVD-R's. It is as par as with the Maxells, Sony's, Verbatims and RiDatas that I have used before. I am just trying to stay away from unknown brands that is kind of a hit or miss. The thing with DVD's or CD's is that when you find a bad one, it seems to be bunched into the same stack as they were manufactured at the same place and at the same time. My recommendation is not to burn DVDs or CDs using the maximum speed, the chance of a bad burn tend to be much much less if you use the next slower speed indicated on the media. Same as filling up the data capacity, 4200mb seems to work best for me as filling up the DVD to the edge may become problematic.

blank memorex dvd's

These dvd's are very reliable. I have had very few failures compared to other brands. Ordering from amazon.com is very easy and shipping is reliable, but the best deal is the price, can't be beat.

Great DVDs

Love Memorex DVDs. Been using them for years and never had a bad one.

Defective!!!!

I've used Memorex DVDs before without a problem, but these ar defective. So far about 2 out 5 cause errors and there is the same cone shaped line that appears on all of the half written DVD. Factory defective? or vendor swindled?

Simple as Can Be

Fine Product. Works well with my the ultrabay multi-burner in my laptop docking station. Cheap too.

Keyword : r

1,000 Recordings to Hear Before You Die (1,000 Before You Die)

2008-11-21T15:01:00.000+07:00

1,000 Recordings to Hear Before You Die (1,000 Before You Die)

Overwhelming

To really enjoy this book you must love all kinds of music. This book runs the gamut of musical genres. If you're looking to broaden your musical horizons this book will point you in the right direction. I found that I did not care for the suggestions outside the genres I already like. However, I did discover some new albums and artists to check out in those few genres I like. 1000 recording gives a brief overview of every album it recommends as well as a few other albums that are similar in some way. I didn't like that it listed multiple albums from a single artist - which get ridiculous in the cases of Beethoven, Mozart, the Beatles etc. Everyone is bound to have favorite artists who did not make the cut; mine was Sublime. Overall, a good book for music lovers but if you like only 1-2 musical genres this book may not be for you since it ambitiously covers all types of music, some far from mainstream.

Great resource for "new" music

Very insightful book. While some obvious choices are included, this book points the way to many unexpected or unfamiliar music. A great resource for any music lover.

Only 1000?

The author makes some good recommendations, but it seems even he was at odds with himself in picking just 1000 recordings. (it's more like 5000 with all the "what to listen to next" rubbish, which clutters the book with too much; complete overload. It really takes away from the integrity of the real classics & it makes it seems as though he was not that sure of his main choices.) And I'm sorry, I like pop music but I do not think Brittany Spears is essential to listen to; even after I die. Really, whose going to be pulling out a Brittany Spears CD 20 years from now calling it a classic and listing it as essential music like a Beatles album? Hear anyone singing the praises of Tiffany, the late 80s pop sensation? Didn't think so. Mr. Moon you can't appeal to everyone, your book tries too hard to do so.

How did we do without it?

Now that this book is here, I can't imagine not having it. My copy will be worn out before long. It's a fascinating, quirky, compelling reference piece for lovers of all kinds of music.

weak multi-cultural mish-mash

It would not be possible to please everyone with this kind of list, no matter how hard one tried, but the compiler of this list has tried so hard to include "everything" that he has left out too many of the really "good things." For example, the problems in the rock-music area alone are enough to sink the book. Here Mr. Moon leaves out The Association, the Doobie Brothers, the Electric Light Orchestra, Peter Frampton, and many, many others--and includes such "Hall-of-Fame luminaries" (?) as Alejandro Escovedo, the Fugees, and the 13th-Floor Elevators. Houston, we have a problem. Any list-compiler who can't do any better than this doesn't deserve your money. Compile your own list.

Keyword : 1

Garmin A/C Power Cable for nÃ¼vi Portable GPS Navigators (010-10723-00)

2008-11-21T14:01:00.001+07:00

Garmin A/C Power Cable for nÃ¼vi Portable GPS Navigators (010-10723-00)

A necessity for Garmin nuvi

Arrived on time and in great condition. Used many times and will continue to use.

You will need this. Unit does not come with chargers.

This is not a nice to have product; it is a necessity since Nuvi 770 does not come with Car Charger nor wall chargers. (BTW, make sure you get a car charger too, it drains juice fast while in GPS mode). Since Nuvi 770 is Europe ready, this accessory is the logical choice.

Very pleased

I am very pleased with this order. Placed order 9/30/08 and received on 10/06/06. Everything was originally packaged and works fine. Only one minor drawback to this order, it was shipped USPS and I have NEVER had any success tracking orders over the USPS website!

Great accessory for your Garmin!

This set is a GREAT addition to your Garmin Nuvi. It also includes international travel adaptors that you could use for other electrics as well.

Garmin A/C International Adapter (OEM)

Mini USB connection. Need not buy OEM, just ensure you buy proper voltage. At 40% off MSRP, it's not to big a rip off. Product works fine, but then again it's just a charger... If unit is used in car, this product is really not necessary as your GPS should have come with a car charger (12V) at a minimum.

Keyword : c

By the Sword: A Repairman Jack Novel (Repairman Jack)

2008-11-19T11:01:00.001+07:00

By the Sword: A Repairman Jack Novel (Repairman Jack)

The best yet

I think this is the best Repairman Jack Book yet. This book starts to tie in all the story lines of F.Paul Wilsons' previous RJ books. Fantastic job. If you live in NYC all the better.

Why the High Price for a Kindle Edition??

Is there a reason some publishers think they can charge the same price for an electronic edition of a book as they can for a physical printed copy....and expect people to pay for it...The normal kindle editions of F. Paul Wilson's books, I have paid for. If they are a reasonable price. Bloodlines isn't even being offered in Kindle form. Can't publishers realize that they will make the same profit if they just charge that amount, instead of adding non-existing hard costs? They might actually have more purchasers... I guess I'll just wait and buy the paperbacks of both books next year.

Not meant for a casual fan or someone new to the series

I recently finished this novel and was very pleased with the way it answers some questions from the previous Repairman Jack Novels and how it begins to set up the remaining novels that are coming. For those of you who have never read a Repairman Jack novel before, please go back and start with THE TOMB and go from there. I guarantee that you won't be disappointed. Now on to my assessment of other reviews of this novel. Mr. Wilson succinctly explains at the very beginning of this novel that this novel is not like the rest of his Repairman Jack novels because it is actually more like a serial leading up to the end of the series. I can see why a lot of people have an issue with this novel, because we've become so used to the cast of characters that we've come to know and love in the series. However, Mr. Wilson is using this series now to set up his reworked Nightworld novel. This is a fun novel. It has action, Ninjas, the Yakuza, utter death and destruction and the usual Jack quips. It also answers who the woman with the dog is and begins to incorporate Glaeken's role leading up to Nightworld. If you've read all of the other Jack Novels you should be able to truly enjoy this one as well.

It slices, it dices

I can't remember when I've enjoyed a book more. Repairman Jack is not your ordinary fix-it man. He's a man that fixes things, but he won't clean the lint out of your dryer if that's what you're looking for. He's more of a man that fixes... situations. I was sort of skeptical when this book was selected by Freedom Book Club, but this book did not disappoint. Up until this book was chosen all the selections of the FBC had been non-fiction titles. Boy was this book a change of pace. It holds up to the lessaiz-faire premise set for the club, and it is highly entertaining. If you happen to be a Hawaiian plantation owner that has lost a sword (stolen by his father), and you can't have any police involvement, Jack's your man! After the stage is set, Wilson lets it rip. Hold on tight for the convergence of the mercenary fix-it man, immortal beings, Japanese hit men, and a clash of the wacked-out cults. If violence hurts your sensibilities, this book may not be to your liking, as it has a high body count. Also there is a sexual situation.

kindle vs hardcover?

can someone please tell me why the kindle price for this book is more than the physical hardcover?

Keyword : f

Sony Bravia Z-Series KDL-40Z4100/B 40-Inch 1080p 120Hz LCD HDTV, Black

2008-11-19T10:01:00.001+07:00

Sony Bravia Z-Series KDL-40Z4100/B 40-Inch 1080p 120Hz LCD HDTV, Black

The best price/value ratio and the best (period) total package now available

This TV has numerous advantages over the Samsung 6xx and 7xx series which it is often compared to. First off, the Samsung's are fantastic TVs. The characteristics of the picture (color cast, primarily- which is different among makers- cool is cooler on one, neutral may be warmer on another and warm may be too warm for some viewers, etc.) should be judged by each individual viewer. There are some people who are going to like the Samsung's picture better than the Sony's, and vice versa. That being said- I return to the advantages: Deep color and x.v. Color. Despite some spec sheets which show this set doesn't have x.v. color, it does. It has both deep & x.v. color, and one can only imagine that the reason the Sony marketing department may have chosen to leave that off spec sheets after the TV had already been designed was to better differentiate their much more costly XBR series TVs. On the other hand, the engineering and cost marketing departments had obviously found advantages in maintaining a common BOM with their latest chipsets which also support their 120 Hz Bravia Engine 2, etc. These must be common among this Z-series Bravia and the '08 XBR offerings, in my estimation. The most important differentiation between this Sony set and the Samsung competition may be the true 24 Hz (or 24 FPS) playback of 24 FPS blu-ray material. This makes the Sony standards-compliant on three important new standards for High-Def that the Samsung simply ignores. Add exceptional image quality and build quality (in my eyes)- and the Sony is a no-brainer for ~$200 more than the Samsung. I have been surprised by the omission of these important facts from other reviews. I have had the TV for over a month and bought it on Amazon- and I couldn't be happier. Of course their 48 month 0% financing deal also helped. :-)

Wonderful

The TV is everything Sony advertises it to be and the White Glove delivery service from Amazon was great. After comparing prices and services advertised locally and on the net, Amazon had the best value for my needs. I am very happy with my purchase.

Always beautiful

I have the 40 inch version and while the HD is amazing, I think where it will stand out to the average users is it's ability to upscale standard definition signals. It does an amazing job. I have (non-HD) Dish Network (at least until AT&T's U-verse is available on my block) and this set gives my Dish Network subscription a new lease on life. The other killer feature is the 'favorites' button on the remote. It will allow you to select which input to view by a animated, ribbon like menu of icons (XBR) that you can somewhat customize. This makes it simple to change sources for those less likely to understand HDMI1, HDMI2, Component 1, Composite, etc. Picture quality is flawless. The only thing it doesn't have is...wait, it's not missing anything. This costs more than most it's size but it fits smaller spaces since the speakers are under the LCD and the frame around the LCD is less than 1 inch. This set gave me the most bang for the space, not buck. It's not the cheapest but I have no buyer's remorse either - and I AM cheap.

Great TV!

Lots of research went into selecting this television, both on-line and in the store. The picture & sound quality is outstanding and more features than we need right now. After waiting for weeks at Sears, we finally gave up and ordered it from Amazon and had it in a few days! The delivery service was superb! This TV looks great too, especially because of the really thin bezel...it seems like a bigger picture than 40". Completely pleased with this Sony!

after tons of research, this is THE tv

Perfect size, perfect picture, great sound (even without a home theater sound system), plenty of HDMI inputs for Blu-ray, Cable, etc. Great to finally have a widescreen for my Nintendo Wii too. Stop searching for the best HD TV, this is it!

Keyword : z

Make It Super Simple with G. Garvin

2008-11-18T06:01:00.001+07:00

Make It Super Simple with G. Garvin

Simple Ain't Always Pantry Friendly

More of the Same

Simply Good Food

Simple Tasty Receipes

Not as good as the first one

Keyword : g

Cables To Go - 27992 - 12ft Value Series S-Video + Audio to 3 RCA Cable (Black)

2008-11-18T05:06:00.001+07:00

Cables To Go - 27992 - 12ft Value Series S-Video + Audio to 3 RCA Cable (Black)

Great Product

I use it to connect to the TV while I play the video on my notebook. This is great. Picture quality is amazing, and voice is clear too. They delivered it to me pretty fast too (2 days from order). The packing was good. Overall, a good value for money.

Satisfied with the product

It took longer than i thought to get the item(about 2 weeks). Other than that i am safisfied with the product.

Works as I need it

I need something to connect my laptop to a TV. After buy products that would work right, I got this cable and it works wonderfully!

Works Great

Works Great to connect my laptop to my Standard Definition TV. A side note to anyone looking to connect to an HDTV: this is not the cable for you. S-Video is a lower resolution format than many other choices. You should look for a DVI to HDMI cable or use a VGA cable depending on the connectors available on your TV/Computer. (DVI will be better quality)

Awesome on time everything

Came today, works great on my girl friends Laptop(Toshiba Satellite). Text is very small, but I only want video from Hulu, Netflix, YouTube, Liveleak...You know fun places. Great price and SUPER FAST!! 5++

Keyword : s

T is for Trespass (Kinsey Millhone Mysteries)

2008-11-17T00:01:00.001+07:00

T is for Trespass (Kinsey Millhone Mysteries)

Sue's back in top form.

There have been a few ups and downs in Sue Grafton's march to the end of the alphabet (I'd like to think that she, like J. K. Rowling, has already written the last chapter of the last book) but this is one of the high points. This time, Kinsey Millhone is involved in a tautly told story of elder abuse with a wily and dangerous nemesis. Solana Rojas is one of the most perfectly examined and fleshed-out of Grafton's long line of "bad guys" and she gave me the creeps long after this book was finished. It is always fun to keep company again with Kinsey and she really has become an old friend over these 20 (!) books. May the remaining books in the series be this well-plotted and interesting.

Kinsey's in a battle of wits

Sue Grafton is smart to add an interesting element in her ABC series, starting with *S is for Silence*. In *S*, Kinsey Millhone has been hired to investigate a 30-year old case of a disappearance. Deviating from the traditional formula from A to R, Grafton allows her readers to get to know Kinsey on a different level. *T is for Trepass* is no exception. This time, Kinsey has met an adversary in terms of wits. In fact, her nemesis, Sonia Rojas, seems to be two steps ahead of her, which is infuriatingly (is that a word?) frustrating. Kinsey's grouchy neighbor, Gus Vronsky, across the street, takes a nasty fall and has been confined to his bed for recovery. With no relatives nearby, a great-niece, practically living on the other side of the nation, has been contacted to arrange for elderly healthcare. In a rush, Sonia Rojas has been hired to look after Gus. Alas, Gus' nightmare has begun! Observant as usual, Kinsey starts to notice, almost immediately, that something is wrong. However, no one else has yet to see the same thing that Kinsey is witnessing. Determined, Kinsey starts to investigate into Sonia and her background. However, Sonia is two steps ahead of her. *T* is a fantastic book that illustrates our favorite heroine/detective and her witty battles with her adversarial nemesis. In addition, we, as readers, are reminded how elderly abuse and identity theft were like in the 80's.

Should have been named "L is for LAME"

I've read a few of Ms. Grafton's books and was looking forward to reading "T is for Trespass." I agree with the other reviewers who rated at one or two stars. In addition to the weak story, lack of mystery, and questionable POV issue (Millhone and Klein's knowledge of the private conversation at the bank), I had difficulty with the formulaic descriptions that introduced each scene. The relentless pattern of: describe something Kinsey sees, describe what Kinsey smells, and then describe something Kinsey hears and compare it to something awful. The pattern became like a nursery rhyme rhythm. I almost gave up at the halfway point, but my neighbor (who loaned me the book) was ticked off about the bank visit and insisted I read it to confirm her opinion that something was hinky. I guess I should be satisfied that I got what I paid for.

T is for Trespass

The book arrived on time and in perfect condition. Who can ask for more?

Excellent!

Sue Grafton is BACK! This is her best book in quite a while. I looked forward to it every night-

Keyword : t

LG KE850 Prada Unlocked Cell Phone with 2 MP Camera, MP3/Video Player, MicroSD Slot--International Version with No Warranty (Black)

2008-11-16T23:01:00.001+07:00

LG KE850 Prada Unlocked Cell Phone with 2 MP Camera, MP3/Video Player, MicroSD Slot--International Version with No Warranty (Black)

Neat concept, but pricey for what you get.

Great idea teaming with PRADA, but your paying for the name. It had terrible reception - returned product.

prada

This phone is gorgeous, I love it, BUT it has some terrible connection problems. I am thinking about getting rid of it because I can't have a phone that doesn't work

a total useless and expensif phone

pictures taken with the phone are terrible , any blackberry is much more functionable ,useful ,and ,easier to work with , at the end i must say i was very disappointed with this purchasse.

just simply totaly awsome

Guys i have to say if you are thinkn to get a new phone this is it its what you might want to keep in mind for option #1 i very well recomend this phone besides the awsome pictures it take and the fm am radio uhhhh its just chevere....

Non responsove - worst experience ever

This is the worst cell phone I have had so far. Yes, it is true the phone looks sleek and stylish, however user experience is as bad as it gets. For one, the dialing responds to the heat of your fingers and not the actual touching so you can bang on it as long as you want but it would not work unless it is a worm finger LOL (yes ladies cut your nails and take your gloves off...). Sometime it really takes a while to dial a number and you have to repeatedly touch the number until the phone recognized what you are doing .......... In addition to this, when dialing voicemail, while listening to the actual message very often the phone feels the heat from your ear and dials the nearest number (eg. 7 to delete the message before you are even done listening to it). There seems to be a recurring issue with software when the screen freezes and you need to take out the battery and turn it back on to work. Last but not least, after about 4-5 month of use the sound in my phone completely disappeared it's like it is on mute - except that it's not. Still rings but you can't have a conversation with anyone because you do not hear them and they cannot hear you.... I will try and see if I can get my money back although it might be a little too late. My advise - avoid this phone. There are other phones out there - do your research and get one that works.

Keyword : k

The Wrinkle in Time Quintet Boxed Set (A Wrinkle in Time, A Wind in the Door, A Swiftly Tilting Planet, Many Waters, An Acceptable Time)

2008-11-15T19:01:00.001+07:00

The Wrinkle in Time Quintet Boxed Set (A Wrinkle in Time, A Wind in the Door, A Swiftly Tilting Planet, Many Waters, An Acceptable Time)

Great series for kids

It is an easy read with vivid imagination. The set it in a nice box and it is definatley worth buying. The shipping was fast and painless.

Excellent Collection!

Madeleine L'Engle's series has often been overlooked and downplayed in this time of Harry Potter and Narnia, but the spirit and energy are still there and captured in this EXCELLENT Boxset!

Not just for youngsters...

This set of 5 fantastic and interwoven tales (each of which stands upright and satisfyingly complete on it's own) really is for any age from about 10 up if you're interested in high quality, thoughtful writing, broad spectrum plots with well-drawn, complex, believeable characters and, genuine Meaning (without a mallet!) everywhere you look..... I am 62 and over the years I have read every one of these at least twice....(personal favorite is Many Waters)......Enjoy!...

Wonderful collection

This is an excellent series. The author has a wonderful imagination. I would definately recomend this series of books. Is recomended for about 9 and up I believe, but is an excellent story for any age group.

Good for another generation!

The first book in this series, A Wrinkle in Time, was my favorite book as a young girl. I bought this for my very bright 12 yr old son recently. After reading it, he told me that it may be the best he has read & he reads extensively (including all the Potters)! We are anxious to get on with the others as I never read them when I was young!

Keyword : l

Sekonic L-358 Flash Master Light Meter

2008-11-15T18:01:00.001+07:00

Sekonic L-358 Flash Master Light Meter

Great first light meter

This has been a very good light meter with great results. It is very simple to use. The construction is all plastic but does not feel cheap. When I saw Carlos Baez using the same meter at a seminar it was very reassuring. If it's good enough for one of the best fashion photogs in the world it's good enough for me.

Worthless

my experience with this produce is that i can't trust it. it's almost always a stop or more off. if it says F8, i shoot at F7.1. in outdoor settings, using studio strobes, it's been a complete joke. no where near close to accurate readings for the strobe. which is why this review is titled "worthless". a waste of money...for me anyway. if you use with Canon speedlights, especially more than one, it's worthless as well as it will read the pre-flash not the actual flash readings.

Light Meter

Excellent meter. Should be for a professional photographer and not recommended for the person that is not a dedicated 24/7 shooter

Sekonic L-358 Light Meter

I use this meter in digital photography to get a better light reading. I use the Canon 40d and Olympus E-1 both camera has a real good light meter. The Sekonic L-358 gives me the correct reading. Easy to use and with a small lerning curve. I don't know how I lived without it. When I take light reading in a dim area then I know if need the tripod or just change the ISO setting to a higher setting. Read the manual and start shooting better pictures

Perfect for it's use

I'm using for a month in studio and outdoor and it's a great product. Consistent readings, well built, easy to use although has many advanced features... Indispensable tool for studio and hard lightning conditions.

Keyword : l

Q Is for Duck: An Alphabet Guessing Game

2008-11-14T14:01:00.001+07:00

Q Is for Duck: An Alphabet Guessing Game

Confusing for younger kids

This sounded like a cute book, so I borrowed this from the library before buying it for my almost 3-year old, who loves books. I read the first few pages and then had to make up my own words so that he wouldn't get confused. Instead of the actual words, I said stuff like "Q is not for duck, but ducks quack and quack begins with Q." Well... you get what I mean. I didn't buy it. It would be a cute book for an older child who alredy KNOWS his alphabet. The target age group needs to be higher. It is definitely not for any preschooler.

A Review of "Q is for Duck"

Boy, have they got the age range wrong on this one. This book would be meaningless to a baby or toddler-- and rather right, I think, for a preschooler or kindergartener which is no doubt why is was on my entering kindergartener's Summer Reading List. A typical example of the book's mental puzzles would be : "D is for Mole". Why? "Because a Mole Digs" Want another example? "G is for Horse Why? Because a Horse Gallops" Pretty funny kindergartener stuff. And this pretty much exemplifies how the rest of the book runs. With the exception of a few choices that deal with digging, galloping and flying; most of the questions are answered by the sound that an animal makes. Four Stars. Very good brain enhancing (educational) material that will make most kids stop and think if only for a moment.

My Daughters All Time Favorite

My daughter is now 24 and she still has her copy of Q is for Duck she has had since she was 2. She had the book memorized when she was 2 and we had to read book every day for as long as I remember. She kept her copy for her children. I now want all my grandchildren to enjoy this excellent book.

Excellent even for 1 year olds!!

My one year old daughter absolutly loves this book! It's definatly her favorite. Because of this book, she learned the sounds to about 15 different animals. I would recommend this book to every one!!!

Imagination, Need I say More?

I did a story hour project for my Children's Literature class and this is one of the books I read to them. They really enjoyed it because it kept them guessing what the letters stood for. This book helps the child to expand their imagination because this book is not the usual alphabet books that says "A is for Apple". This book expands that horizon by incorporating the sounds the animals make. I would recommend this book to anyone.

Keyword : q

Sony NPFH100 H Series Actiforce Hybrid InfoLithium Battery for most Sony Camcorders

2008-11-14T13:01:00.001+07:00

Sony NPFH100 H Series Actiforce Hybrid InfoLithium Battery for most Sony Camcorders

More than enough power.

One thing about camcorders is that you need them to be ready when the need arises. This battery has so much power that unless you are shooting Gone With The Wind, it should last for days. When this battery is freshly charged, my Sony CX12 shows 480 minutes of record time on the screen. Wow, that's a lot of time. With the regular battery you really have to carry two in case you end up shooting more than a couple of hours. With this battery you don't even need to think about having enough power. On the down side, it does protrude a bit from the back of the camera, but it's worth it.

Weak base support

Very good battery power! However the base of my battery was wekly glued since the battery detached from the video camera and fell off the floor leaving only the base case attaced to the video. Since I was recording at that moment ,all the recorded material was lost. I had to glue it myself with crazy glue. Ever since, hopefully the accident has not recurred. Otherwise, this is a solid battery that store many hours of use. Sergio Sarita

Awesome HUGE battery

The run time on this battery is awesome. I am glad I purchased it. It is pretty huge though. I shoot most of my videos on a tripod with LCD screen. With this battery, it makes it almost impossible to use the viewfinder. Big 'Ol battery:)

Good to have it

Good to have this as a back up. The battery comes with the cam is not sufficient if you are on a vacation and wants to shoot for more than 1 and half hours you really need a good backup.

Large Capacity

If you're looking for a long lasting battery - this is it! It does take a while to charge up, but it lasts a long time and its worth it. Everyone complains about the size of the battery, I'm using it on the Sony HDR-HC7 camcorder and it balances the camera nicely. Based on other feedback I was expecting it to be bulkier than it actually was and considered buying one or two of the smaller batteries instead but I'm glad I didn't. This one is all I need and feels good on the camera.

Keyword : h

WALL-E (Little Golden Book)

2008-11-13T09:01:00.001+07:00

WALL-E (Little Golden Book)

my son loves it!

my 5-yr-old son hasn't even seen this movie, but he did see previews and trailers which made him like the character wall-e. since he's just learning to read, i try to find books that are interesting for him (he's definitely out of the 'baby' book stage) but still easy enough to let him help me read. this was perfect for him. not too short, and not too long, so it held his attention too.

Wall-e Book

Great Wall-e book. Good synopsis of the story for young readers. In fact I read it to the party-goers as several of them had not seen the movie. It gave them a very good idea of what the movie was about and who Wall-e was.

Overall Great Book for Children

Great book that is a good overview of the movie for children. They include a few weird words, such as 'holodetector' and may be difficult for young children to read as well as hard to describe what the word is (the best thing to say is 'computer').

Walle LGB

How can you go wrong with a Little Golden Book? They've been around for years, and continue to bring joy to children. This book (Walle) has good pictures, and is interesting for our son to read to US. Recommended.

Phenomenal art!

I initially bought this book for my son after seeing WALL-E in the theater. I didn't expect much but he really was into the film so I figured it might be good for a couple reads. Turns out this is a really phenomenal book with some great art work. The story pretty much mirrors the film from start to finish so it was really easy for him to follow (he's only 2). But the art style is what I enjoy the most. It appears to be concept art that was compiled simply for the book and it has a really warm and loving feel to it. Highly Recommended!

Keyword : e

Mobile Headset 2.5 Connector Vol/mute

2008-11-13T08:01:00.000+07:00

Mobile Headset 2.5 Connector Vol/mute

Great headset

I'm using this headset with a GE 900MHz The phone was $17. Every call I get I ask the caller if they can hear me alright. The answer is always YES, I can hear you perfectly. Enough said. The actual Model is M214c. For the people having trouble with this headset, its either your phone or your phone carrier, not the headset

Headset is A-Okay

We purchased two of these plantronics headsets for use of our cordless phones. We have a Motorola, Sony, and Panosonic cordless phones around the house and the M214C Plantronics headsets works relatively well. Since the headsets are not battery operated volume you hear is never real high, but Plantronics headset seem to have the best volume and a voice clarity in the market. The drawbacks to this model is the over-the-head band is not ajustable and loose for kids. The boom clarity is a little bit tinny, but all words are I speak are understandable. This is the best value headset I have had.

wonderful product!!

Use this daily for online conferences and many phone calls. Great quality hearing and speaking, even for those with harder hearing. Also love the ability to mute the speaker - especially when gkids have a noisy moment.

Finally, a headset that lets people hear me on a 5.8GHz cordless phone

People can hear me talk with this headset on my Panasonic 5.8 GHz cordless phone--a breakthrough. With other headsets I've tried, people could barely hear me on any cordless phone I've used, even though those headsets (e.g., the Panasonic KX-TCA92) worked perfectly with my cell phone. This 214C headset has solved my problem. I can hear other people fine, as well. The only thing I don't like is the mute switch; it's too hard to slide. A FAQ on Plantronics website prompted me to give this headset a try and perhaps explains why other headsets have problems: "If the cordless phone is 2.4 GHz or 5.8 GHz, your voice may sound low. In that case, you will need one our "C" mobile headsets designed especially for cordless phones."

Actual audibility not included

I was excited about this little headset as it has the volume control and mute features right on the cord. So handy. I'm using a Samsung cell phone. But I was disappointed using it. Even turned up to "maximum" volume, I could barely hear. And those I talked to on the other end couldn't hear me, either. The headset itself seems sturdy, but the volume control is both flimsy in construction and useless in function. Bummer. Would not recommend.

Keyword : m

G-Spot: An urban erotic tale by

2008-11-12T04:01:00.001+07:00

G-Spot: An urban erotic tale by

Excellent!

I was very satisfied with my purchase! I received my book in a timely manner! Thank you!

stop the madness

this book is complete garbage I purchased this book based on ur comments...this will never happen again this book is only readible if your iq is under 90 oh my GOD !!!!

ONE day READ =)

WOW i loved the story line to this book . i couldn't put it down . i have to say, the way the writer writes is somthing nice . Noire haves a way with words this book was worth every penny =)

WOW

Wow is all I can really think to say because there are really so many thoughts going through me after finishing G-spot in 2 short days. This book was a trip! The main character Juicy goes through so many lows and very few highs. There were parts when I thought she was dumb as hell and made poor decisions but I truly felt for her character and wanted her in a better situation. The story has so many CRAZY moments twist and turns ups and downs you won't know what to do with yourself! It's just an all around great ghetto story that's sexy as well as gory. I was given a slight warning when reading a review but I want to emphasize to readers to prepare yourself for some pretty graphic scenes that will make your heartbreak for certain people in the book. Other than that ENJOY THE RIDE! You will definitely be satisfied this book was worth every scent & I recommend it to all urban story lovers.

My take on G-Spot

I thought this book was going to be much better. It wasnt what i expected but it was a gud read.

Keyword : g

Sony Bravia Z-Series KDL-46Z4100/B 46-Inch 1080p 120Hz LCD HDTV, Black

2008-11-12T03:01:00.001+07:00

Sony Bravia Z-Series KDL-46Z4100/B 46-Inch 1080p 120Hz LCD HDTV, Black

A combination of bests (in product quality and buying experience)

Product Review: If you are looking to buy a Sony LCD larger than 40" for less than $2000 this is as good as it gets. The picture clarity is simply awesome (even with an HD antenna), with no motion blur and good enough speakers. It looks sleek and smartly designed with minimum waste of space. I picked Sony over Samsung because I liked it better after weeks of staring at LCDs in many stores. I picked the Z-series over XBR because I didn't feel the XBR was worth the extra money. Buying Experience Review: After shopping around we found the price on Amazon to be unbeatable. This was our first big purchase online but since it was sold by Amazon we went with it and are happy. I placed the order on 10/29/2008 and the TV was delivered to my door on 11/05/2008. The initial delivery estimate was 11/08/2008 by CEVA logistics. All of Amazon's promised white glove delivery was executed by the delivery guys except for putting the TV on its pedestal. CEVA apparently does not authorize its deliverymen to do it. It isn't too hard so my wife and I finished that step in less than 5 minutes. FYI, we upgraded from a 27" CRT so this is our first LCD. I give it 5 stars on all accounts.

Amazon Pricing Games

Looked at a Sony Bravia Z-Series (KDL-46Z4100/B) TV vs an XBR6 over the past few days. FRI Nov 7 2008: Placed both into my shopping cart and tried doing add'l research. The Z series was priced at $1,759.99, i.e very good price compared to CCity 2499.99. OK...signed in to Amazon Saturday and was greeted by a message raising price to $1,781.94. Busy on Sunday, signed in again Monday morning, price was LOWERED to $1708.58 at 8:10AM Local Time. Still had some questions and waited for customer service to open and OOPS...by 8:42AM price was RAISED to $1,797.94. WHAT IS GOING ON HERE??? Spoke with customer service about this...well that's the way it is. FOR ME THIS PRICING MODEL ISN'T WORKING...

Amazon should provide specs w&w/o stand

Amazon should provide the dimensions with & without the stand or ATLEAST should state that the dimensions are without the stand. I almost purchased this TV, which would definitely have been too big for my cabinet. I am surprised that Amazon is not forthright about such an important fact. This could be a big headache for most customers as many of us are trying to buy the largest TV our cabinets etc can accommodate.

Watch out for delivery bait and switch

The TV arrived yesterday and so far, it has been great. A key component to my decision to buy through Amazon was the white glove delivery for large TVs. But, in my case, Amazon had my order filled by Vanns. When I saw the Vanns reference while I was placing the order, I looked all over the Amazon site and did not find that ordering through another supplier meant another type of delivery or that I had any choice about who actually filled the order or what that would mean delivery-wise. As it turns out, I did not get the white glove delivery. Instead, I had to deal with FedEx Ground and their policies (no appointment--they will just tell you the day they are coming) and do all the other things that it looked like would be taken care of by the Amazon delivery company. FedEx did bring the TV inside. The Vanns customer service person told me that sometimes they ship by Yellow Freight. I don't know how far Yellow Freight will take it from their truck (whether they leave it on the street and I have to take it the rest of the way?).

Great Buy!

This was such a great deal from Amazon. I saved so much money by ordering this TV on Amazon as opposed to going somewhere local to buy it. Also, Its just a great TV. There's not a brand out there that can beat the Sony picture. So far the TV is beautiful to look at. Very thin. And VERY easy to set up and start using. Have had no problems at all. I am very happy with this purchase!

Keyword : z

The Talking T. Rex (A to Z Mysteries)

2008-11-10T23:01:00.001+07:00

The Talking T. Rex (A to Z Mysteries)

A great series

My daughter loves this whole series. They can be read by a 3rd grader without too much trouble and even while in the 2nd grade my daughter could figure out most of the books. They keep the same characters for the whole series and so kids can get attached to them. We will be in big trouble when we reach Z.

Great children's books

My seven year old grandson loves this series! These books are well written and have topics that are interesting to kids, as well as informative. The stories are exciting and children can learn from them. Kids can understand and relate to the dialogue.

Great book!!!!!!

Jud, Dink, Josh and Ruth Rose's friend come with a suprise, a dinosar, Jud and his buddys are raising money to make a museum, but someone stole all their money and it is up to them to solve the mystery.

Keyword : z

Air-O-Swiss AOS Ultrasonic Humidifier - 7135

2008-11-10T22:01:00.001+07:00

Air-O-Swiss AOS Ultrasonic Humidifier - 7135

Far too much of a bother to be worth it

I bought this product based on the reviews I read on Amazon. It works well but I have to only give it one star because it is so complex to use. My issues are: - water reservoir is too tall to fit into the sink. It's a real bother having to use the tub to fill it - water runs out too fast. I need one to last at least 12 hours, preferably 24. - way too many buttons and options. You need to be a rocket scientist to work the thing. - the "clean me" light goes on whether you are using the machine or not. So, if you use it for 2 days in 10, vs every day, the light will still go on at day 10. I am about to freecycle this humidifier and buy one that is simpler to use

Good humidifier

Pros: Very quiet. Works well. Lots of options. Cons: Expensive, Exhausts water very fast, so has to be refilled frequently.

Lots of white dust

I have had this humidifier for about 2 years. It does increase the humidity level as advertised. However, it also generates a lot of white dust. I regularly (every month) change the filter filling that is supposed to demineralize the water, but it doesn't do anything about the white dust. The white dust got into all my electronics. It even caused the DVD player on the computer to stop working. I moved the humidifier into the bedroom and removed all electronics from there, except the clock radio. If we don't close the closet, the clothes get covered with the white dust. If it wasn't for the white dust, this would be an excellent humidifier.

Great Humidifier

I bought this humidifier after quite a bit of research, hesitating only due to the high price. Now, after eight months of use, I can say that it was worth it. Humidity level in the room is easy to maintain and the unit is very quiet. It is easy to fill and easy enough to clean if you use the recommended procedure at the recommended interval. I have not experienced any white dust from my unit which leaves me to believe that it depends on the water source. Be sure to soak the demineralization cartridge as directed. In summary I am very happy with my purchase.

The seller of this product (factory direct) is a liar

For this product, I can't say how it works, cause the one I got is a broken one, and there is even no manual/documents inside the box. Then in the following 2 weeks, I keep writing to the seller, I just got their call back once, after following her instruction, the humidifier still not working, and then she ask me to ship it back for repair, on my own shipping cost. I ordered a brand new and got sth like this, why should I responsible for the cost to send their trash back? And why should I got a repaired one instead of a brand new one? After I ask them to cover the cost to ship back, they said they gonna call me back, then, never call back again. I have to go to A-to-Z protection plan (thanks Amazon to have this protection program), and give the seller "1 start" rating. To my surprise, this time the seller response immediately. What I can't believe is the seller blindly lying that their product is in good condition (even that lady called me agree the product was broken and ask me send back to repair), and said that I refuse to communicate with them. I've sent them 8 emails in past 2 weeks, only got one call back, and then never have the further follow up, who is the one refuse to communicate?? Guess they just take the advantage that once we submit the rate, we can't reply to whatever their comments, so they can just blindly lying whatever they like, and keep fooling other customers. Maybe the humidifier is not bad, but the seller is the worst one I ever seen.

Keyword : o

Stitch 'N Bitch: The Knitter's Handbook

2008-11-09T18:01:00.001+07:00

Stitch 'N Bitch: The Knitter's Handbook

Say what you will...

I taught myself to knit using this book. I can do everything covered in this book. 'nuff said :)

fun, easy, practical knitting

I love the idea of this book and I love the practical suggestions and patterns it contains. I look forward to a lot of knitting.

It is what it is

There are a lot of reviews on here complaining about how 'young' the patterns are, and the light-hearted tone of the book. I think people are forgetting that this book has been written for a young audience. If you are out of your 20s and looking for more serious knits, this isn't for you (although you may be able to modify some of the designs in here to your tastes). As for the tone, it's what you should expect from a book with the title 'Stitch 'n Bitch' - it's going to be less serious than the heavy tomes you'll find on many knitters' shelves. It's written to fall in line with the new wave of young knitters, many of whom want the magazine-like and irreverent style found in this book. People also complain about how simple the patterns are, especially the garter stitch scarf. This is a book for BEGINNERS. I don't know about you, but I felt a huge sense of achievement when I finished my first garter stitch scarf! This book has been written with this in mind. Those of you who are holier-than-thou knitters who have been holding needles since birth, buy more advanced books and stop bashing this one for being too simple for you. I'll admit it's not entirely clear at times, and there are errata (Debbie Stoller seems plagued by errata-filled patterns, makes me wonder why her books aren't thoroughly checked before publishing) but these can be found easily online. I'd still recommend this book to anyone interested in learning to knit, and I'd direct them to http://www.knittinghelp.com too, as watching someone do things makes them easier to learn. It's not perfect, and it is what it is - a 'hip' guide to knitting written for a young audience. There are still almost 200 5 star reviews for this book, so even with all the 1 and 2 star reviews out there it's still a hugely popular and widely-used book. I still say, buy it - but know what to expect by reading this and other reviews.

A good buy, but expect to do some google hunting))

Overall, it is a great book. If you're a beginner and really want to learn all the basics, then this is the book for you. Unfortunately I was surprised that not all the techniques were clearly/fully described, so I had to Google for some explanations and clarifications while learning to knit. But guess what, because of this book and thanks to Google )), I can knit anything I want now. And I'm a busy person, so I was only knitting in the evenings for a couple of hours while watching TV and relaxing. One of the greatest advantages of this book is the author's style of writing and explaining things. It felt like I were talking to a friend while learning to knit and you come to realize that the person who wrote the book really cares enough to make things interesting and exciting for readers and especially for the beginners like myself. So, go ahead and purchase this book. Also, I have a tip for you. If you want more patterns, go online and Google them. There are a plenty of resources online, so you'll get really excited about the whole process. Happy knitting))

Excellent book for starters

I picked up this book to re-learn how to knit. I had knit a bit in the past, but basically just long swatches I called scarves. This book was amazing. I read through it and made the dog sweater pattern in it on the first day. The diagrams and descriptions are clear and helpful. The index makes things easy to find. Also, the patterns in the book list what skills you will need and what page you can find information for those skills on. I look forward to learning more and tackling the harder projects in this book. There is no doubt all the information I need is in here.

Keyword : n

Bargaincell- 3-Piece Value Combo Pack Of Brand New Home Wall Travel Plug in Ac Charger + Vehicle Cigarette Lighter Power Car Charger with IC Chip + 2.0 Sync and Charger USB Data Cable For Creative Zen Vision:M, Vision W MP3 Player

2008-11-09T17:01:00.001+07:00

Bargaincell- 3-Piece Value Combo Pack Of Brand New Home Wall Travel Plug in Ac Charger + Vehicle Cigarette Lighter Power Car Charger with IC Chip + 2.0 Sync and Charger USB Data Cable For Creative Zen Vision:M, Vision W MP3 Player

2.0 Sync USB Data Cable wouldnt sync

I lost my adapter for my Creatve Zen Vision M and was hoping this would solve my problem. I wanted to upload more songs but wont be able to because it wont sync. Now I have to spend twice because I need to buy the adapter.

It actually works with the Creative Zen Vision W!

I've bought a ton of USB sync cables for my Zen Vision W and none of them fit until I bought this one! It fits my Zen Vision W perfectly! I have nothing to say but thanks!

High Expectations, Huge letdown

I had high expectations for this item. The reviews I had read made it sound great. I plugged my Zen Vision M into the wall charger the moment it arrived and everything looked like it was going well. I came back from a nap to find my screen flashing in different spots. My Zen Vision will no longer start up. I feared the worst. Only to realize the wall charger simply was not working. When I plug my Zen into my computer with the supplied charger it connects and charges fine. It does not sync it for access but that may be worked out later hopefully. Considering the price and that this has not fried my Zen yet, I would say it is an OK deal. However I really wish my Wall Charger would work.

WONDERFUL PURCHSE

This is the best purchase. It comes with everything you need for your MP3 player & you do not need to purchase anything else! It's a nice combo pack.

great deal!!!!!!

They came earlier than expected and each item works flawlessly. I can't believe other companies are charging so much for the same item.

Keyword : m

Adobe Photoshop Elements 6.0 On Demand

2008-11-08T13:01:00.001+07:00

Adobe Photoshop Elements 6.0 On Demand

Good book!

I love Photoshop Elements 6.0 so much so I enjoy this book anyway. It is very simple and clear step by step.

Photoshop Elements 6 on Demand

If your are serious about PHOTOSHOP 6.0 this is the book to have at your side when editing photo's. The best I ever bought and I bought several 6.0 books.

nice resource

A well laid out book. Nice photos, orderly info and directions. Paper and binding good quality, so the book lays open conveniently--no fighting to keep pages open while you use it as a reference! Covers all (or at least most) bases well, with clearly-stated directions.

Keyword : 0

Nikon 50mm f/1.8D AF Nikkor Lens for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras

2008-11-08T12:01:00.001+07:00

Nikon 50mm f/1.8D AF Nikkor Lens for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras

Just buy the lense

Just get the lense, dont think about it so much... unless you want something more expensive, then you have other options... like the 1.4 and the other manual focus 50mm nikon lenses... But this one is really really good for $100

Terrific, especially for the price.

Small, light, and sharp in the corners, even on a full-frame SLR. What more could you ask for? Now, if I could only find a 20, 24, 28 or 35 that is this good.

my favorite lens right now

this is my most versatile lens. I love it. It's versatile becuase it works well in low light. It's wide enough to work in many situations (there are occasions in tight quarters where steping back isn't an option) I am so very happy I bought this. The pictures I've taken with this lens are great. I shot indoors with limited lighting at a wedding until about 530 pm and never used a flash.

Tack-sharp, excellent contrast, produces great images

You can get better pictures with this lens than with much, much more expensive zoom lenses. Fixed focal length lenses like this one, at 50mm, are inherently sharper and (because they have fewer elements) produce better contrast, color, and tonal range than even very good zoom lenses. Back in the day, fixed focal length lenses were the norm for essentially these reasons. If you bought a new SLR, it came with a 50mm lens. Zoom lenses were second-rate, and if you wanted a wider or narrower angle, you got fixed focal length wide-angle and telephoto lenses, too. To be sure, zoom lenses have improved greatly over the years with advances in lens designs and coatings, but the superior image quality from fixed focal length lenses remains. As is noted elsewhere, on a digital SLR, this lens functions as a moderate telephoto, the equivalent of about a 75mm lens on a 35mm film camera. This is an ideal portrait lens length, and it has many other applications, too. I've used one of these lenses on a Nikon N75 (Nikon's last consumer-market film SLR). B&W film (which I'm fond of) shows off its advantages. Images are tack-sharp and have an excellent range of gray tones. Relatively large prints (on 8"x10" or even 11"x14" paper) look nearly as good prints from medium format negatives. Over the years, I've used 50mm lenses from other legendary manufacturers, including Zeiss and Schneider Kreuznach, on other cameras, and this nice Nikkor lens is their equal.

Just right if you don't need to zoom...

It's just like everybody else says. This lens is a great deal. Light, sharp, fast, simple. Need a bigger image....just step closer. Works great on my Nikon D80.

Keyword : f

A Little History of the World

2008-11-07T08:01:00.001+07:00

A Little History of the World

An excellent book with some drawbacks

This is an excellent introductory book of world history. Some categorize this as a children's book, I disagree. Although the text is easy to read, some passages are not straight forward and are filled with so many history facts that I doubt children can digest all of them at once. I enjoyed reading this book as an adult, and would surely recommend it to people who are looking for an Introduction to World History. However, when I have finished reading it, I felt as though this book is still missing something that I wished it had provided.

One of a kind

What a phenomenal summary of the world... Who else can condense Napoleon or the Crusades in one page or less? Really informative, especially for a history-idiot like myself. This book ignited a passion for me to read more about history! As an author, I wish I could write something as laconic and succinct! Dr. Justine Lee www.drjustinelee.com

makes up for white trash private school education

In trying to compensate for my white trash/private school education, I found this book, as well as the science book "The Canon" by Natalie Angier extremely helpful.The Canon: A Whirligig Tour of the Beautiful Basics of Science

I LOVE this book (I wish I could give it more than 5 stars)

I read a lot of books. Some would say that I read too many. Over the years, I've read some really great stuff. But this is one of the few books that I truly fell in love with. As I was reading it, I found myself saying, "I love this book!" over and over again. It's a quick read, divided into short chapters that can be read in a matter of minutes -- so even someone with a short attention span can read a chapter in a single sitting. And it is written in such an easy-to-read style that it can be understood and enjoyed by readers of any age. It was written with young readers in mind; but it is so wonderfully written that adults will love it just as much as kids will. The writing style is beautiful. I wish I could write that well. Everything is made so clear and easy to understand that it's a delight to read. It's hard to believe that this book was originally written in German and translated into English. I don't know who deserves the higher praise, E.H. Gombrich, who wrote the original German text, or Caroline Mustill, who translated it into perfect English prose. But what impresses me even more than the writing style is the content. This is simply the best history book that I've ever read. It provides an overview of all of world history from prehistoric times to the 20th century (it was originally published in 1936, and covered events up to the aftermath of World War I; but this new edition contains a final chapter that gives a brief overview of the events from World War I to roughly the end of the Cold War). And it does a masterful job of capturing the "big picture" of world history without getting bogged down in the sort of details that no one but historians really care about (as many history texts do). After reading this book, you will have a good, basic understanding of the overall course of world history. And you'll enjoy every minute of it. Imagine a history text that is never dry or boring, that is never difficult to understand, that never bogs you down in useless details you don't care about, and that is actually a pleasure to read. THIS is that history text. I would recommend it for everyone: schoolchildren, college students, and adults. (And it would make the perfect gift for a young person. Anyone who is old enough to read, understand, and enjoy Harry Potter is old enough to read, understand, and enjoy E.H. Gombrich's "A Little History of the World" -- and it's a lot more educational.)

Succinct History, but Pretty Gauzy

A quick, nearly pocket-sized history of the world. Clearly intended for children, but I enjoyed getting a refresher. I rate it three stars considering its uneven treatment of some pretty important facts (lots on Napoleon, but no mention of the Black Death of the 14th cen.?), and its need of a healthy dose of editing.

Keyword : h

Brand New Motorola Verizon Q PDA Smartphone Extended Battery With Door-1400Mah

2008-11-07T07:01:00.001+07:00

Brand New Motorola Verizon Q PDA Smartphone Extended Battery With Door-1400Mah

good deal -

good deal and value for offer on moto q - verizon store wanted 5 times the amount for battery alone. the only problem i have now is the phone never shows "full charge" when it is fully charged (I hope) and the phone battery icon doesn't show full charge (batery symbol and a x) until i turn off and turn on again.

A Little Powerhouse

After only a few months of usage my Motorola Q could not stay alive for more than 6 hours, and that was without much use. With heavy usage I needed to recharge it at least twice a day. This battery is a little bigger in size and comes with a replacement door. However, it has better capacity than the original battery that came with Q. I now charge my phone only once a day or every other day. This is a must to have for all Q owners.

Big Batt. Go long time

This is a must have for the Moto Q phone This is the battery you need billincie

Its a battery!

It cost me about 10 dollars as opposed to the 80 that Verizon wanted to charge me and it lasts more than double the time that my old battery lasted! Conclusion: exactly what I wanted for my phone. I like to travel and not have to worry the whole way if my phone battery will make it.

Good Deal For The Money.

This battery has much better life than the battery that come with the Q. I would say you can do twice as much talking, surfing, texting, etc. while charging it about as often. There are higher Mah batteries available for the Q, but they cost $49-$59, so for $13 or so this is a pretty good deal. The only downside (and maybe I just didn't read description well enough) is that the battery door is silver, which looks dorky on my black Q.

Keyword : q

The 4-Hour Workweek: Escape 9-5, Live Anywhere, and Join the New Rich

2008-11-06T03:01:00.001+07:00

The 4-Hour Workweek: Escape 9-5, Live Anywhere, and Join the New Rich

I Now Have Two Copies

A good friend of mine bought this book for me as a gift. I read it from cover to cover. While on assignment, I remembered a section of the book that I wanted to reference so I bought another. I wasn't looking to work 4 hours a day or live anywhere but as I read the book I realized in-spite of the title, it was very helpful. As an inventor and entrepreneur, I know that some of the knowledge in the book would have cost me a fortune if I hired a consultant. I structured my company's infrastructure using the author's advice. So far, I'm pleased with my results. If you're looking to start an internet based business or sell anything via the internet, this book would be a valuable resource if nothing else a very interesting read. -JW

Tosh

picked up this book after seeing so much about it in the press. It's simply tosh. He offers views on time management, outsourcing, automatic business processes, and travel, that any half-intelligent individual knows already...unless like Ferris you exhibit misanthropic tendencies, e.g. live on a low-information diet, never read a newspaper, only take emergency phone calls, avoid e-mail, divert customers to call centres and don't socialise or belong to any community. If you want to run an online vitamin supplements business this book may hold some value. Otherwise, use your time more effectively, and save yourself some money. Take it from me. The one star is only for including Thoreau's seminal work Walden, or, Life in the Woods (Dover Thrift) on the reading list. Now that is a book worth reading.

Live life, don't postpone it.

Tim Ferriss is one over-achiever. Check out the list of what he has done in the first chapter. Amazing! For us mere mortals, he still offers great advice for changing your life. Some top quotes and ideas from the book: - Lifestyle Design. You don't have to live the high stress, long hours life. You can assess the lifestyle you want and then design it. You don't have to work all your life to sit on a beach at 65...you can go sit on one now for very little money. - Outsource as much as possible. Weigh up how much time you spend on things. Automate them. Outsource them. Pay other people to do them if it gives you more time. Spend $30 on a cleaner once a week and spend a few hours with the family. Get someone from http://www.elance.com to write your articles for you. Virtual assistants are the way forward. [I have used several since reading this book and they are brilliant] - Be, do , have. Decide what you want in your life. Who do you want to be? What do you want to do? What do you want to have? and then get on with achieving it. Life is too short to be stuck in the office. Set extreme goals that are worth achieving. Question everything. What are you passionate and excited about? Go do that. - Elimination. Have a "not to do" list and make sure you don't do it. Don't watch TV. Cut down your email to once a day (and then once a week). Don't waste time being busy. Be productive in less time and spend the difference achieving your splendid goals. - Find your muse. Discover a way to make money by virtual and outsourced means and free up your time to do what you love. This may take time to achieve, but you can make a plan and achieve it, so you can live a freer life. - Empower people to make decisions without you. So you can have free time. - If you don't set the rules, they will be set for you. - Living more is the objective. - Know what you will do with this abundance of time. Look at your passions and missions. Move from a life of survival to one of passion and excitement. - Experiences override possessions every time. Live life, don't postpone it. I found this book inspirational and it is JAM-PACKED with information and links to great sites!

The 4-hour Work Week

Well written book. The information is presented in an easy to follow format with tangible examples. A must read for those in, or falling into, the 45,50,60 hour work week.

It changed my life! You have to

I love love this book and it has changed my life. If you love this book and this review is helpful, click yes so we can get a good review on the 1st page. Sounds to me like some reviewers expect too much out of the book. It's not magic. Tim shows how he works a 4 hour work week and the steps that you can take to follow his lead and do the same thing. He also references all the books that led him to where he is so that you can read them also and get a better understanding of the concepts. He puts the whole process together and shows us how he did it. He tells you the whole process of actually how to do it. There are plenty of websites out there created by readers of this book whose lives have been changed just by reading this book. It really gets you thinking. If you are not an entrepreneur then ya it's not a good book for you because you do need to have your own ideas. It's very inspirational. The people that are giving the book bad reviews are just not the entrepreneur type and thats OK. You can tell because of their comments like "it's not realistic". It's very realistic and there are plenty of websites and blogs full of people, right now, making it happen in their life right now and talking freely about it. Don't buy this book if you don't want to take the time to come up with some of your own ideas about the type of business you would have. Don't buy the book if you don't believe that is is possible to make more money and work less hours. This book was the spark I needed to get the flame going!

Keyword : 4

StarTech SAT2510U2 InfoSafe 2.5-Inch USB/SATA Hard Drive Enclosure

2008-11-06T02:01:00.001+07:00

StarTech SAT2510U2 InfoSafe 2.5-Inch USB/SATA Hard Drive Enclosure

Good product

This product performed as advertised. I use it 320GB WD Scorpio drive. Everything you need is in the box, and installing the drive was very quick.

very useful case

took our old playstation 3 drive out and replaced it with a 320 gig unit. took the old 40 gig drive and placed it into this case and now have a neat packaged backup drive. only difficulty was the screw holes for the plastic end caps were misaligned and a little of a chore to install but still this product rates a 5 stars.

Works but pieces don't fit together

I bought two of these enclosures. Both work as advertised for my Macbook drives. BUT the main body is supposed to attach to the black end cap with two small screws. For both of my enclosures the screws didn't fit no matter how hard I tried. Poor quality construction. There are other enclosures that are cheaper and better. I'm buying two of those to replace these. Hope you don't make the same mistake...

Poor consruction-Does not fit some drives

This enclosure does not fit some of the thicker 2.5 drives. You would have to force my WD 250gb drive into it. I was not willing to do that, so I cannot tell you wheter it would have worked or not.

Good product

This drive enclosure is one of the higher quality cases I have purchased. From what I can tell, it appears to be made from solid aluminum, with the front and back in plastic. Installation, and setup was easy, there were no extra drivers or software to install just plug-n-play. A few things I dislike about the unit are; there is no fan. This is not a big deal unless you are going to access the drive repeatedly for a several hours. When the hard drive itself is being accessed there is a lot of heat the builds up, but when you just have it plugged in idling there is no problem. The USB cable provided for data transfer has two Male plugs, which I suspect is for users with computers without USB 2.0. I had no problem using a regular USB cable I had laying around instead of the provided one, so this is not an issue for 90% of computers out there. My final issue, is the directions or somewhat vague, there is very little support provided in the booklet. A reminder for anyone not tech-savvy, the hard drive you are using with this device must be formatted. If you purchased a brand new hard drive, or intent to use a new one you need to format it. I work with computers a lot and it slipped my mind at first (it is also not mentioned in the instructions). Overall, I would definitely recommend this to anyone. Can't beat Amazon's prices.

Keyword : 5