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Funny and good polemic, but take it with a grain of salt
First of all, this book is extrememly funny. Its humor also contains some reasonably cogent conservative/libertarian critiques of government in general and the US in particular. I don't happen to share most of PJ's political philosophy, but I enjoyed the book and even found some of it persuasive.Why only three stars then? Well, basically because the author isn't merely a libertarian polemicist, he also often crosses the line into being a republican partisan. He totally reduces his political opponents to caricatures and doesn't present or confront their strongest arguments. As a humerous polemic this is probably fine, but there are times when his kidding-on-the-square dissolves into sneering contempt for people who see things differently. At his worst he can be just like the attrocious Anne Coulter.I've seen PJ on "Real Time with Bill Maher", and I know he's not really like that in person. He actually will listen with respect to an opposing viewpoint and will even concede a point when appropriate, but I do think that the way he ridicules liberals does feed into the same destructive critique of Coulter & company. Overall I'd reccomend this book because its a funny and insightful look into the world through libertarian conservative eyes. But I hope before deciding you agree with the author on any of his points you do your own investigation - he doesn't even try to be fair or tell the whole story. | 23 stars
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Real Power not Illussion
A Very Good collection of songs showing a raw and new sound of Sabbath. Tony Iommi always Shinning on Guitar, Tony Martin like always doing a fine job, the thundering rhythm section of the late Cozy Powell and Neil Murray sounded stronger than ever and Geoff Nicholls creating a splendid background with his keyboards. Forget commend about the guess rapper Ice- T, the song Illusion of power it's terrific!If you are a very fan of Sabbath's Sound and History you won't be disappointed, here we get a really Overlook and magnify album. | 45 stars
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Mistral's Kiss
Laurell K. Hamilton strikes again. The lady has an imagination like no other, and is constantly amazing and truly enjoyable. | 45 stars
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Strong page-turner, but could be smoother
I will not be the first to note that Clancy loves technical gadgets too much.I also find that sometimes sub-plot lines take too many pages to explore, I tried omitting the especially dull ones, and guess what - you still follow the plot perfectly, and the suspense does not suffer.Generally, a very strong book. You could do much worse at an airport bookshop. | 23 stars
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There's good news and a bit of bad news
First of all, the good news: These speaker stands are well-constructed and heavy enough to not tip unless given a good reason. Cost-wise they can't be beat. Set up is easy enough and all the small parts are sealed by type in plastic. They raise and lower so they can be set at just the right height. They come with different sized screws and if your speakers have pre-drilled attachment holes you may have an easy time of securing them to the stands. The speaker wire can be run down through the pole so it's hidden from site. There are foam strips with adhesive on both sides that hold the bottom of the speaker to the stand.Two not so good things to know that may or may not affect you: My Phillips surround sound speakers have a keyhole bracket on the back where the head of a screw can be set inside and pulled up into the smaller end of of the hole, securing the speaker. Unfortunately, the keyhole is set about 3/4" too high for it to be attached to the slotted back brace on the speaker stand. In order to use the stand, I had to turn my speakers upside down. It's not a pretty sight but it works. The 2nd issue is that the hole to run the speaker wire down inside the pole is too narrow at the top to allow the end connector of my speaker wire through. My speaker wires have a color-coded plastic tip made to fit into the receiver's corresponding speaker plug-in slot. This won't be a problem for speakers with bare wires, but I had to give up the dream of hidden wires and wrap mine around the outside of the poles.All in all, I like these stands. I needed a way to place my speakers for full surround sound, and two sets of them did the trick. | 34 stars
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Confusing at first, senseless at last
Film noir with a unique narrative device: the story is told starting at the end in short segments in which the story moves forward. Between each of these segments, there is a black and white segment of the protagonist on the phone with an unidentified person. How these segments fit in time with the rest of the story isn't clear, even on repeat viewings.The narrative device simply makes the story too confusing for a movie audience. DVD viewers can replay segments to catch details and clear up confusion.Whether they will want to or not is another question. This film has an overabundance of murder, delusions, revenge, greed, drugs, lies, manipulation, tatoos, violence, and despicable acts of one kind or another to qualify as film noir. But even in film noir at least one of the characters should deserve some sympathy. In this movie, none of the characters do. In the end, we are asked to believe that the main character would choose to become a serial murderer killing people that, at the time he makes this choice, he knows have nothing to do with the attack. His only reason is just to give his life some semblance of a purpose. Nothing in his background makes this action believable.Even puzzle fans who persist in trying to understand what is going on will be frustrated by the movies plot holes, red herrings, and inconsistencies.The main character is supposed to remember everything that happened before the attack, and not be able to make any memories since. But he doesn't remember some things that happened before the attack, and he does remember some things afterward that are inconsistent with his supposed mental condition. He remembers exactly what his mental condition is. How? He can't remember if he's chasing someone or if they're chasing him, but he remembers that he drove to the location, where the car is, how to get back to it, which car it is and where the keys are. How? He remembers that he's supposed to take pictures to help him remember. He remembers that he's taken pictures, and where they are. He remembers that he needs notes to help him remember and he remembers that he's supposed to look for those notes.The real story of how his wife died is not credible. It's inconsistent with his mental condition after the attack. It's simply not believable that someone in his mental condition would have been in a position to do what he supposedly did. In addition, one of the other major characters' actions are inexplicable. That character keeps turning up with no apparent motivation, knowing things that the character has no way of knowing.Tatoos are important in this film. The protagonist believes most of the tatoo "facts." In his condition, how does he remember to believe them? The protagonist has a tatoo that says "never answer the phone." Notes are pushed under his door telling him to answer the phone. But why? Why not just knock on the door? So what does he do? He answers the phone. And why is not answering the phone important? He's so easy to dupe in person, the phone doesn't create any bigger threat. Yet he spends much of the movie on the phone.At the end of the movie, he's shown in bed with his wife. He has a tatoo that we've never seen before. It says: "I've Done It." Presumably he's imagining this. But imagining this tatoo is completely inconsistent with his mental state and motivation at the time.Memento is a challenging trip. But ultimately it's a trip not worth taking. | 12 stars
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absolutely amazing
The prologue to Lord of the Rings was an excellant novel filled w/ all the elements that a true fantasy reader loves and respects: magic, sword-play, dragons, treasure, and a variety of different characters ranging from hobbits and dwarves to orcs and goblins. However it takes a while for the book to actually pull you into it and become genuinely hooked. If you really enjoyed this novel then you should definately finish out the story w/ The Lord of the Rings trilogy and the remainder books on Middle-Earth. | 45 stars
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What VB level is expected of a reader?
Most of the reviews of this book are very positive. The few that are not are complaints from "moderately experienced" VB programmers. I am probably a novice myself, so I'll give you an example of what is expected of you. On page 178 is an example using arrays to make an appointment calendar. This example is fairly typical of what you might run up against in the author's examples. The appointments in the example are stored in an array called apps(day). Early in the code one finds the lineIf IsEmpty(apps(day)) ThenIt took me a while to find out how to make this line work. From the online help you will find that IsEmpty is meaningful only for variants, and even then returns false if there is more than one component in the array apps(day), whether it is empty or not. So by watching the locals window while doing a lot of experimentation, I found that I could arrange that when apps(day) happens to be empty, it is not treated as an array at all, but just an empty variant variable. However, if instead (as is quite natural) you define the empty apps(day) as an empty array, the code won't work.Personally, I think that a few words of warning to the reader and a short Sub Main() to exercise the code would have been in order. Certainly there are much more obvious matters that are discussed in more detail.So, bottom line? There is a lot to think about here, and many imaginative implementations of the language. But be prepared to mull things over and invest a bit of time. | 34 stars
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LOVE THIS MOVIE!
If you are a follower of Gael Garcia and Diego Luna this is a must have movie. Love the drama and comedy that is involve in these two brothers!! | 34 stars
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All the world's a stage
Almost as soon as I was done watching this movie, I was thinking I need to watch it again. This is one of those movies with some complex pieces which bear re-watching to get everything out of it. It is a rather strange movie in general, which one should expect from Charlie Kaufman, who also brought us the wonderful but equally bizarre "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" and "Being John Malkovich". But then that's Kaufman's genius, the ability to make puzzling yet equally entertaining movies that are thought-provoking.Philip Seymour Hoffman plays Caden Cotard, a director who loves his daughter but is stuck in a bad marriage. His wife appears to despise him and leaves for Europe to pursue her own career doing tiny paintings and taking their daughter. In the meantime, one of the actresses working for Caden as well as the theater ticket-taker both express some romantic interest in him. Professionally, Caden has success directing "Death of a Salesman" for a small theater; however, his big chance comes when he's given a huge grant. He uses the grant to create a production which is as big as life itself, using scenes from his own life and building reproductions of the places he lives and works inside a huge warehouse. The production gets bigger and bigger to the point where they need to hire an actor to portray the actor who is portraying Caden.The movie can be a big confusing at times, with an occasionally deceiving passage of time and recursive references. And really, how many times do you see someone buy a house which is on fire? Still, I believe the meaning behind it all comes across rather well. It's rather similar to the classic quote from Shakespeare, "All the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players." It's Kaufman's presentation which breathes new life into the old idea and makes for an interesting movie which is well worth watching. | 34 stars
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UHHHHH, This is a bomb!!!!!
"Best of v.1" was anything but!!!!! I love Dave but just LIKE Sammy. Where is "I'll Wait," "Jamie's Cryin'" and a lot of Dave's other stuff that was good? I hope the next installment has some better tunes on it than this one does. | 23 stars
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A thorough effort to cover the issue
If you are interested in international humanitarian efforts, particularly the Darfur crisis - I would say that this is a necessary addition to your research materials - more now than ever as Darfur is in greater crisis since this film was made.Since early March 2009, a warrant was recently issued by the ICC for the arrest of Omar Al-Bashir - President of Sudan, and many humanitarian aid organizations have since been booted out of the country leaving millions on the edge of imminent danger. (see more: http://sebiart.blogspot.com/2009/03/urgent-report-on-darfur-you-too-from.html)This dvd thoroughly covers the history of the problem in Darfur, following six different individuals around the world, and their involvement in the liberation of the civilian population. There is ample information here about the ICC (international criminal court) and their investigations into crimes against humanity. It also shows Don Cheadle and George Clooney's very earnest and active roles in attempting to bring worldwide awareness to this VERY pressing issue.I originally rented this video and then bought it as I felt it was timeless and invaluable reference material for my library; and as documentary DVDs go - this is incredibly affordable. | 45 stars
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Vonnegut's funniest book
It would be hard to describe the plot of this book. I've read it more than 5 times and I cannot explain it. Something about a transvestite guy named Harry LeSabre who sells cars, but not Buicks. Kilgore Trout, Dwayne Hoover. They're all interconnected and in fact everything that Vonnegut writes about starting with Cat's Cradle emphasizes that some people are in the same "carass"(people whose lives are intertwined whether they know it or not) for their lifetimes. Maybe our lives are not as random as we thought. I laugh out loud whenever I read this book. I read it twice when I was pregnant and had a boy with a great sense of humor. | 45 stars
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A response to Joaquin Menchaca from an Apple Certified Tech Coordinator
You know, there are times I despair at the treatment of Macintoshes in Windows-centric books. Obsolete information, badly written explanations of Mac technology, and general "macs can't do that" comments. I'll flip through Windows books at the store and shudder at the nonsense they spread about Macs.This book is not one of those times. I got a copy of this book when it first came out, and continue to recommend it to my Windows IT friends. And I do strongly recommend they read the Mac Integration chapter, with one caveat:Consider the pubishing date.If you read the chapter in its entirety, you'll see the author mentions that OSX 10.2.3 is the "latest version of the Mac OS as of this writing". OSX 10.2.3 came out in December 2002. The next patch, 10.2.4, came out in February 2003. This gives me a good idea when the book was written. Now, not a lot has changed in the Windows world since early 2003 (barring R2) but on the Mac side, it's been a lifetime.I clearly remember the 10.2 days - and struggling to get OSX to play nice with Windows. Apple was still cleaning up the code back then, and it showed. The only way to do DNS on a 10.2 server was to learn BIND (and configure UNIX files) - Apple used NetInfo for their directory (as the Minasi chapter clearly states) - it wasn't until towards the end of 10.2.x that LDAPv3 finally became usable. (And Apple officially dumped NetInfo as their primary directory in 10.3). OSX 10.2 (while much better then 10.1) was like Windows XP before SP1. A painful preview of a future promise.For a book that talks about connecting Macs from OS 8.6 through OSX 10.2.3, the chapter is fantastic. Sure, today it's easy for me to tell 10.2 users "Man, upgrade to Tiger... you'll love it" (which is my current solution) but back then, 10.2 was the latest and greatest. As the chapter mentions, SMB access (SAMBA) was moody, erratic, and only authenticated to the server's local SAM, not to AD. Making it a mixed blessing at best. But AFP to SFM still worked great, and if you could get SFM on the Windows file server, it was much nicer then OSX's native SMB support. SMB didn't really become practical until 10.3. Under 10.4 "Tiger" it's great.Trying to use SFM with 10.3 or 10.4 clients is not advisable. SMB works great, use it instead. (And the SMB commands given in the book work fine with 10.3 and 10.4) Using SFM with 10.4 does work - I've personally used it - but it does require you to download the OSX UAM from Microsoft's website, as mentioned in the chapter. Also, if you're not careful about how you configure permissions on the Windows server, it can appear as if the files are unreadable. This isn't corruption, just permissions. For these reasons, I recommend SMB for OSX 10.3 and higher.But if you have 10.2 or older machines on the network, and upgrading isn't an option, then look at SFM.The squabble about SFM vs. SMB aside, it was really nice to read a chapter that covered common issues with file sharing between PCs and Macs - Resource forks and file extensions are still a concern today. I still have Mac users who insist on saving files called "Project Notes 18/06/2006" unaware of how the "/" plays havoc with Windows users. Not to mention the lack of ".doc"! And I'm constantly having to explain to Windows IT people the difference between flat-file volumes (FAT32 and NTFS) and forked-file volumes (HFS+).To say there was no homework done on this chapter is ridiculous when OSX printing discusses CUPS integration (Something that most "Mac people" don't even know about!), file sharing discusses authentication modules (The MS UAM vs. Apple Encryption vs Clear Text), and it even touches on OSX Server. Of course, OSX Server 10.2 is nothing like 10.4, so using this section for current integration is not a good idea. :)I'm not sure what Joaquin was expecting when he read the chapter - unlike websites, hardcopy can't change past the publish date. This book was written in the 10.2 days. Applying OSX 10.1 or 10.2 advice and information to OSX 10.3 or 10.4 is not advised. But if you've got any 10.2 or older machines on the network (even *shudder* OS8.6 machines) then the chapter is great.And the last page of the chapter was as forward thinking as possible - the chapter predicts that Apple will come up with a "snap-in of some sort" to easily integrate Apple's directory (at the time, NetInfo) with Active Directory. This was written, at the latest, in February 2003. (based on the release date of 10.2.4)... In October of 2003, Apple released 10.3, which had migrated to LDAPv3, and provided the Active Directory plugin to Directory Access. And all my schema-changing LDIF files went out the window. As predicted.If all you care about is Macs, this book isn't for you - After all, there are hundreds of pages about Windows 2003 Server that don't even discuss Macs! (Imagine, a Windows book focused on Windows!) But the Mac chapter is an excellent overview of Mac OS 8.6-10.2 integration for Windows people. And for once, it's not a Windows book full of false Mac information. I'd rather my Windows compatriots read info about an older OS that was actually accurate then read up-to-date info about the current OS that's nothing but a pile of misinformation.After all, most Windows people who've worked with pre-SP2 and post-SP2 XP machines (and all the fun changes there) are smart enough to realize there's probably a difference between OSX 10.2.3 and OSX 10.4.7. Or heck, OSX 10.5 which will probably be here in a month or so. | 45 stars
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A Great Album for Driving With the Windows Down
I wasn't familiar with these musicians, but I knew all of these songs, so I took a chance. I was happy I did - the artists do a great job at covering these (mostly) very-well known songs. Their versions of "Pleasant Valley Sunday", "Maybe I'm Amazed" and "Stronger Every Day" are terrific. The other songs are all really good. This is the perfect album to put on in the car when you go out driving along on a sunny Saturday afternoon with the windows down. Get it !!! | 45 stars
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Great Title, Rambling Content
From reading this book, I found that the current theories on the Moon's origin are insufficient and that there is indeed some highly intesting numerology tying together the Earth, the Moon, and the Sun. I've also come away with the impression that, to these authors, a little knowledge is a dangerous thing. During the course of the book, which is a combination of astronomical history and numerology, they drift from a valid questioning of calcified scientific 'knowledge' to utter preposterous, New Age claptrap. They discard the theory of the Moon being created by chance as being 'too coincidental', then posited their own theory: that it was built by either a) humans who went back in time 60 billion years or b) time-travelling worker robots who were sent back in time so that they could save us (and Sara Connor). The final chapter in particular is a cherry-on-the-cake moment: the authors go so far as to SUGGEST AN OFFICIAL NAME for this time-travelling mission, when we as a society are 'ready for it'. Oh dear.I'll go with the Green Cheese theory.P.S. Why do books like these (which I read avidly) always have glaringly obvious spelling and punctuation errors? Can they NOT afford a proofer?? | 12 stars
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As timeless as 1984 as thought provoking as Farenheit 451
I first read Stranger In A Strange Land in the 1970's and I've reread it on numerous occasions. I was 14 the first time and I'm well over 30 now and it still brings old memories together with new insight. To those who have read RAH'S books and enjoyed them as I have may I recommend this as his masterwork . To those who've read"Stranger" and feel they need to criticize every nuance of it I say GROW UP! This is a classic and any comparisons to the real world are an immature effort at finding fault with something you'd have a heck of a time coming close to . Sorry about the lecture . Mcgyver 6/12/98 | 45 stars
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A great book
This book is the first book i ever read where the author understood how fake everybody is. although it is kind of stupid that Holden doesn't want anyone to grow up, when everything sucks so bad for him. You;d think he wouldn't want to hang around kids anymore and would just wnat to get out. | 45 stars
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never forget the first time i saw it
This movie was [so] funny. I could watch it over and over again and still fall on the floor laughing. Jim Carey does a great job acting and makes this a clasic comedy. May i remind you that it is PG-13 because of one or 2 parts but it is very funny!(...) | 45 stars
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Great for babies
Very cute movie for young ones. My son loves to watch this movie. He is only 10 months and will sit for more than an hour to watch this movie. Very educational | 45 stars
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The Wooden Mob
Key components to this movie -1, The Mob 2, LV 3, Seigel&Hill; 4, Beatty&Bening;The screen play is of the highest calibre, with a detailed retelling of the Seigel story. Further the acting of certain characters is excellent, Harvey Keitel and Ben Kingsley.Sadly I fear Beatty's performance falls, at times, into slapstick - more of the vein of Stallone in "Oscar" than one of the most feared players of Murder Inc.I summary I'd say if you are a fan of the genre watch this movie despite Beatty, and if you are a fan of Beatty watch this movie despite the genre! | 12 stars
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ALL ABOUT TALENT !!!
FLAWLESS SCRIPT,PERFECTLY CAST AND OF COURSE AT THE CENTER OF IT ALL THE QUEEN OF PERPETUAL EMOTION AT HER VERY BEST IT'S NO WONDER SHE IS REGARDED AS ONE OF IF NOT THE MOST INFLUENTAL ACTRES IN HOLLYWOOD HISTORY BETTE DAVIS OR AS I LIKE TO CALL HER "BETTE THE GREAT" REALLY YOU COULD NOT ASK FOR MORE AND NOW FOR ALL TO ENJOY BEAUTIFULLY RESTORE (until it comes out on blu ray )THIS CINEMATIC GEM IT'S AN ABSOLUTE MUST! | 45 stars
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How Toys Become Real
The velveteen rabbit is a children's novel written by Margery Williams and illustrated by William Nicholson. It chronicles the story of a stuffed rabbit and his quest to become real through the love of his owner.one of the best child book ever ,since it was released in 1922 .recomed to anyone ,great book bring lots of memories when you reread it after so many year have pass bybook summary: The book begin when a boy receives a Velveteen Rabbit for Christmas and only play with if for about two hour ,and forget about him.while talking with a old,worn out, Skin Horse, the Rabbit learns that a toy becomes real if its owner really and truly loves it. For the Skin Horse made the Velveteen Rabbit aware that once you are Real you can't become unreal again One night when the boy's cheap china dog is misplaced, the Velveteen Rabbit is given to the boy as a quick replacement by the maid to comfort him while he sleeps.Since that day they become best friends and never left his sight.One day the boy become to ill and cant play with the rabbit .When he got better the doctor told the maid to trow every thing away that was infected.{yep eveb the rabbit]The kid got a new rabbit toy dont you worry his feeling dint get hurt.The rabbit was left in the outside cool, and lonely. Then a fairy come out of a flower witch came out of the rabbits tears,and made him a real rabbit.The fairy then took him with all the rabbits to live happy ever after. | 45 stars
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The Size of the World
It has been a pleasure to revisit the travels of Marco Polo. I was transfixed by these stories of travel and adventure when I was a child, and never questioned the veracity of the narrative. I know today that the narrative has been corrupted over the centuries, that "The Travels" can scarcely be used as an historical reference, and that a more tantalizing and complete manuscript has probably been lost to the ages. Still, there are glimpses and insights within the narrative that could only have come from first-hand experience, and these describe an enormous, exotic world that titillates even today, while readers in the 13th and 14th centuries must have been enthralled.I was most keen this time around to Polo's descriptions of the cultures and wildlife he encountered, of the whales and lions and leopards and bears--he even describes a white bear, and the people who hunted it were surely of the group often called Eskimos. He describes dog-sledding in the far north and the cannibalistic practices of the people of Java far to the south, both of which are extant in our current era. There are also the fascinating observations of the Mongol Empire, of that group of nomadic people who somehow rose up, like an event in an Isaac Asimov novel, to conquer much of the known world.Somewhat depressingly, though, are Polo's observations of the tensions that existed between the Islamic and Christian worlds, tensions rooted in the competition for hegemony over trade in the Far East. Seven hundred years later, these tensions are still acting themselves out.This translation by Ronald Latham from 1958 includes an introduction that puts Marco Polo's life in context with events and includes footnotes to help the reader make sense of the myriad manuscripts that make up the travels of Marco Polo. This is a somewhat dry read; even Latham comments on the paucity of skill employed by Polo's chronicler. Once I put my mind in context with the narrative, however, I was able to roll with the repetition and sycophancy and enjoy the text. | 45 stars
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Very Insightful Analysis
It is very common nowadays to hear Muhammad Ali spoken of not just as a great boxer but as a cultural hero. Yet I always seem to experience some dissonance when I compare the praise he receives with the man I remember watching when he was in his prime. This book explains that dissonance by exploring the conditions that made Muhammad Ali what he was. As it turns out, there is good reason to feel uneasy - not just with Ali, but with the culture that made it possible to see him as more than a sports hero.As Mr. Cashill says early in the book:"Today, those who shape our culture -- writers, critics, publishers, broadcasters, movie and TV producers -- routinely calculate the essence of individuals, especially racial minorities, not as the sum of their blessings but rather as the sum of their grievances. In the traditional hero saga, the individual is expected to overcome hardship and injustice. In the grievance narrative, he nurses them like grudges. If they seem inadequate to evoke guilt or anger -- the two desired responses from the audience -- the narrator reserves the right to embellish or even invent additional offenses..." (pp. 3-4)"Many of Ali's contemporaries wrote or cowrote autobiographies, among them Joe Louis, Sugar Ray Robinson, Floyd Patterson, Joe Frazier, Ken Norton, George Foreman, and Larry Holmes. Each of these is a tribute to the American dream. Each author describes the virtues necessary to succeed in America and the opportunity available to those who practice such virtue. Only Ali writes a grievance narrative..." (p. 45)This book is about a lot more than boxing. It's about the 60's and 70's, race relations, Vietnam, the Nation of Islam, and the changing meaning of the word "hero". It's about the ability of large numbers of people to ignor the underlying complexities of one particular hero who, when seen in the light, doesn't really look that heroic at all.And it's long overdue. | 45 stars
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Awesome!
Awesome!! My husband loved this more than anything I have ever given him--even my virginity or my hand in marriage or for that matter our beautiful baby girl. | 45 stars
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Excellent take on "Reality"
I loved this movie. I went out and bought the soundtrack the next day. It's a must-have for anyone interested in "reality." Although I could have done without Keanu Reeves saying, "woah." | 45 stars
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Was Alex looking for attention?
In this book A Clockwork Orange, the character Alex displays the personality of an adolesent who longs for the attention of his peers. He seems to have a sense of violence instilled within his inner self and cannot seem to get rid of this feeling that he feels. Alex surrounds himself with sex, violence, and hatred which shows what he is really feeling on the inside. Alex started of the book with him and his "gang" wrecking havoc on the community by stealing a car and then preceeding to Mr. Alexander's house and raping his wife. While raping his wife Alex sings the song " Sing'n, in the rain". This seems like something someone who is trying to put on a show and act like their cool in front of their friends. The only time Alex was ever a descent person in this book, was when he was spending the first two years of his stay. After he began to feel comfortable with his surroundings the bad Alex seemed to suddenly reappear from the dark side to take over the place of the "rehabillitated" Alex. I think that the time he was good shows that he can be good when put under pressure by peers. Also when he is in a situation in which his surroundings are unfamilliar and unwilling to cater to every single of his needs. If Alex had never gained that much attention from his familly and "gang" i dont believe that Alex was really bad to be bad; but he was just bad to gain the respect and attention from his gang and familly. | 23 stars
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great expectations
this release was long anticipated by myself and my daughter who are big fans.sara leaving was a sad moment and the scenes dealing with the death of warrick were all well worth waiting for .still a great watching experience . still has lots of quirky moments the football helmet with a head in it bouncing down the highway is great | 45 stars
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Writing that restores fantasy by breaking it.
Something about Steph Swainston's books gives me the urge to make pompous declarations about her talent & compare her to Zelazny in the best possible way. I am really impressed by her writing, and look forward eagerly to her next book.No Present Like Time is a follow up book to the brilliant debut The Year of Our War. Swainston combines science fiction, surrealism, and fantasy to create a really astonishing and unique style. Her main character is still the unreliable junky, the Comet Jant. Through his role as the Emperor's messenger, the reader is given a view of the various verses universes and characters as the book continues to explore the life of the lucky immortals who keep the emperor on his throne.My review title is a paraphrase from an essay on the New Weird that was written by Michael Cisco. Steph Swainston is generally considered to be a member of the genre movement. I'm still not sure that New Weird is anything but Slipstream dressed up in a more fantasy-colored coat-- but there you go. Regardless how you categorize it-- Swainston is one of the finest examples of this new style.Recommended for readers who like intelligent literary fantasy. | 45 stars
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Good Fun
"Fantastic Four" is a strangely different kind of comic movie. Trying to go on the light side of things, this film focuses on the causes and effects of the Fantastic Four's creation. Such as Ben Grim, becoming the Thing, learns that looks don't matter if you are with the ones you love. Johnny Storm, becoming the Human Torch, gets cocky and learns that not everything is surrounding him. Reed Richard, becoming Mr. Fantastic, creates their arch foe Dr. Doom but learns the balance between his pride and his observations, thus marrying Sue. And Sue Storm, becoming the Invisible Woman, learns to control her emotions.The main problem of this movie is probably th fact that Dr. Doom is barely Dr. Doom at all until the ending. Hopefully he'll return in the rumored third film(the second movie has been rumored to have Galactus). The movie's main focus is on Ben. His mistakes and sorrow fill just about everything. I am impressed that they went for the happier side of things(like Johnny's pranks and jokes) instead of being dark and dramatic all the time. Sure, it isn't the best comic book movie ever, but that still doesn't mean it's bad. Dark, no. Enjoyable, yes. | 34 stars
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The good songs realy deliver, others are merely o.k.
A very good album that leaves your need for hard-hitting metal satisfied. A few of the songs are bland and uninspired, but the majority of the album really allows the band's talent to shine through. | 34 stars
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smears & streaks
very hard to wipe off, wants to leave streaks & smears,expected better from rain-x, will not buy again, does not domuch to repel rain like rain-x window treatment which is a very good product! | 12 stars
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Very Soft, But don't absorb any water. Rub, Rub, Rub and still wet.
They feel great, but the first washing produced more than an inch of lint in the dryer vent, piles of lint I had to pick up by hand before I could even vacuum it up. No absorbency. | 01 star
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Entertaining, good actors, but does no justice to the book
The film flows very well (you do not get bored for a second), script is smooth and tight and maintains nice rhytm. All the leading cast is exquisite (and Hugh Grant looks so much better in the role of a heartless two-timing bastard than in his usual application of an oh-so-cute puppy-eyed stammering British nancy-boy), the British home counties accent of the Texan Renee is accomplished and good jokes abound.However, the book on which it is based is so much more complex and intriguing. It is not the fault of this movie: only so much plot can be crammed into a limited time, and I should have known better than watch a film based on a book when I know already what's in the book.It will make a very pleasant evening watch, maybe one day you will rent it again, but I would think twice before adding it to my DVD collection. | 34 stars
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nice quality
Seems like a good quality shirt. Does not get all stretched out of shape after being worn. Sizes run a little small. | 34 stars
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Garmin case
Just what we needed! My grandauter is very happy with her garmin. It is priceless when traveling in new areas. | 45 stars
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moronic leftist drivel
Being stuck for a week with only the first seven Leduc Investigations books to read (three I had to give up on), I now know literary hell. The main character is a leftist private detective, who dislikes the incompetent and corrupt police (but is the daughter of a senior Prefecture of Police officer), who has a weakness for bad boys, Couture fashion and cigarettes, and is possibly the most annoying character I have read. The author has no clue about criminal investigations, French law enforcement, weapons, or forensics, but besides that...Also the author besides her socialist leaning drivel and improbable plot lines, has the charming ability of making Paris the City of Light, seem as drab, grimy and nearly appealing as Detroit. | 01 star
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sexist? not really
well, quite a lot of people hate this book because it's sexist. however, it's not the author's fault; it's our society's fault. no matter you admit it or not and like it or not. this is the way our society works. You can say the tips in the book are sexist but they're ture in the real world. all the results are from the excellent research done by the author for over 30 years. This is really a book for success | 45 stars
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Vai's hit and miss "band"
The theme, sex and religion, is pure Steve Vai -- and something I don't think he'll ever tire of exploring or expressing. I would say Vai makes better vocal music when he's a hired gun (e.g David Lee Roth etc) but in recruiting a young Devin Townsend he picked an almost equal to himself. Some may disagree but how anyone can remain more salient over Vai in a recording studio is anybody's guess. Devin Townsend is an extremely insightful and intelligent musician in his own right and when he's not writing his own parts things are bound to suffer, therefore; the results are a little mixed. The musicianship overall however, is not - this is absolutely stellar. And herein lies my biggest criticism: it's not what you hear but rather what you *don't* hear. With a line-up including Terry Bozzio on drums and TM Stevens on bass, it's a crying shame this wasn't more of the "band project" Vai lead us to believe. The demon-fingered one pens virtually every song (music and lyrics) and although each band member puts their own distinct stamp on things, the collaborative aspect is ultimately lost. For guitarists however, there's some great stuff to get your teeth into - "Here and Now", "Still my Bleeding Heart" (cool solo tone!) and "Rescue me or Bury Me" are particular standouts. But there's also some nonsense too, so be warned. Bottom line is that this album doesn't leave you wanting more, which is a shame, because on paper, this line-up of musicians promises the Earth. | 23 stars
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Canon Camera
I'm really glad I bought this camera. Did quite a bit of research prior to purchase and for the price, this, so far, has been a good purchase. I am a "point & shoot" type of person - not a "photographer" so it works great for me. Easy to use and small enough to put in my purse or pocket. | 45 stars
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Personal and Vivid Reporting and Analysis
Orwell wrote this before his breakthrough novels 1984 and Animal House, commissioned in the mid-1930s by the Left Book Club in Britain to write about the plight of the unemployed in the northern mining community of Wigan.He ignored this commission and wrote about both the employed and unemployed mining workers in Wigan. The book is a vivid description of the awful working conditions of these miners, wonderfully told in a very personal style. I found very interesting his visits to the homes of these families, and the various conditions he recounts as part of their "quality" of life.The second half of the book is his reaction to what he found, and an analysis of different policy-based solutions proposed to assist these folks out of their misery. He takes on and debunks many conventional notions held by socialists and other intellectuals in Britain during this era, making the book quite controversial for the Left Book Club, so much so that the introduction consists of the Left Book Club editors' response to Orwell's criticisms.A fascinating glimpse at a slice of life in Britain during this time frame, as well as a worthy contribution to the debate on how to address this significant social issue. | 34 stars
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Smart, Witty Movie.. Just what I needed 4 A Saturday Morning
I recently watched Sarah Jessica Parker on "Inside the Actors Studio" and the host (James Lipton)was going through all of her movies but just before he spoke of "State and Main" he paused..... looked at the audience.... took a deep breath and said "Now tell us about (long pause again) State and Main" their was a crescendo of clapping from the audience/students. So I decided to rent this movie to see what the whole "awe" was about.The Amazon description pretty much tells you what "State and Main" is about so I won't repeat it. The movie was quick, the dialogue between the characters witty and smart. The acting was definitely some of the best that I have seen in a long time. Alec Baldwin is so endearing as the "big-Hollywood" actor with a thing for young women (I'm talking teens), William H. Macy perfect as the director trying to keep the actors happy and the crew focused <--- which was very funny in itself to watch :)Philip Seymour Hoffman always plays such interesting characters he does not disappoint in this one either, he is somewhat a idealistic writer who falls for the local bookstore owner (played by Rebecca Pidgeon) the interaction between these two was again smart, quick, witty lines... David Paymer was (in my personal opinion) the one that stole the movie he was a Hard A$$ producer he didn't take nothing from nobody str8 in your face and what a wonderful change to see this actor play such a part he is usually so secondary that I was pleasantly surprised.I must make honorable mention to Julia Stiles, Sarah Jessica Parker and Charles Durney whom all did a great job. This was just a very good movie all together the town folks, the town (perfect setting), the film crew (in the movie) great secondary characters. I wouldn't say that I had a lot of LOL moments but it did keep me engaged.I liked "Get Shorty" and "The Birdcage" I would put this movie in those categories for Smart Comedy with a very well written script and look at Hollywood coming into a small town and taking over.Respectfully Reviewed | 34 stars
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old school cool
remembered seeing it years ago, and it is even better now. A great movie. It shows that a movie does not have to have all the R rating stuff to have a story behind it. | 45 stars
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The alblum that started it all
This is the alblum that started the carrer of one of the greatest rock bands in history .There is not a single bad song on the entire alblum.My favorite songs are "Strutter","Nothing To Lose","Firehouse","Deuce" and "Black Diamond",One of my favorate songs ever by KISS .The rest of the songs are just as great except for "Kissin' Time" which is the only weak song on the alblum.I recommend this alblum to anyone who wants to hear a great Rock and Roll alblum from start to finnish. | 45 stars
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The end
This movie is the reason Paramount scrapped this Star Trek universe and did a virtual "start over"It wasn't awful, it was more like an ok episode of the series, but should never been given the green light for a movie. To be financially successful, a Star Trek movie cannot appeal only to hard core fans, but must have broad appeal. This movie had so many missing prices fora the causual observer as to make it totally confusing and un enjoyable for the masses needed for box office success. | 01 star
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Almost Outstanding
After years of use from a HP LaserJet4m, I needed to consolidate my equipment with an all in one unit. After allot of research, I decided on the this Brother unit. It is faster and better than any of the older seperate scanners, copiers, etc, except in one catagory. Check printing is problematic. I use the old HP, in anther office, for printing single checks because the Brother simply cannot run them straight through. The factory customer service rep acknowledged this problem. If you need to perform this task allot, look elsewhere. Other than that, this is a dream machine. | 23 stars
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Great movie
Great movie for an evening in. Fun and exciting. Not a huge western fan, but it keeps attention well with its twists. Great action scenes and awesome plot! Good for not serious die hard movie buffs, but plain ole good movie! | 45 stars
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Holy Jesus. What are these goddamn animals?
Ah...I just recently saw this film for the first time. I was completely sober and I swear to God I have never enjoyed a film like I enjoyed this one. I love Gilliam and I honestly think Johnny Depp is a phenomenal actor. Del Toro is likewise fantastic. Enyone who has doubts about this movie, forget them! Watch it anyway! | 45 stars
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A great and entertaining historical-fiction!
_The Witch of Blackbird Pond_ is a very entertaing historical-fiction. The time it took place was during the time when the American colonies were being settled. This book was well written and would be great to read for people who love soap operas. There was not a lot of action in this book and no adventure. At times I didn't even want to read the book and other times I was locked on to it. There is some irony in this book and it can get very exciting. I think a lot of people would enjoy this book very much!! | 12 stars
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standard fleece
Can't beat the price, but the vest is larger than I thought a large would be - should've got a medium. | 34 stars
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Who doesnt' love Thoreau
I have loved Thoreau since I first read him in middle school and who doesn't love Thoreau. WALDEN is a great book to either revist Thoreau or read him for the first time. I would just say make sure you have the peace and the quiet to study his words for they transcend over time to even and especially to our absorbed lives.Take the time to read WALDEN and you will be able to see things more clearly in your own life. | 34 stars
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Fairly Sucks
When good movie screen actors act for "just the money" they can stoop pretty low. The "Piranha" movie had somebodies money invested in it, plenty of great talent but no great acting, plenty of high end sets, but a pretty weak story line.Lots of large bosums, skillfully bloodied but what's the point?Stupid movie. Nothing to see here people, just move on. | 12 stars
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Rodriguez's Vision Is Stunning, An Incredible Film Noir
MOVIE: In an interview, Robert Rodriguez stated that instead of bringing the world of graphic novels to film, he wanted to bring film to the world of graphic novels. Boy, did he hit the nail on the head. Rodriguez has all the respect I can give to him because he is a conservative filmmaker who churns out epic products. His first film was made for $7K, and ever since he really tries to make movies for less. Rodriguez recently entered the world of digital filmmaking, his last film, Once Upon A Time In Mexico, was shot entirely in HD using digital cameras, no film. He raves about how easy it is to edit, just plug it into the computer and badabing! Sin City was shot all digital and it aided Rodriguez in accurately capturing Miller's vision. The movie uses three story lines from three seperate novels by Frank Miller. One is called "The Hard Goodbye", which follows a man's journey for revenge after a cannibal rapist who killed his one true love. The interesting part is that this one true love was a hooker that he spent the night with for the first time. Marv is played to perfection by Mickey Rourke and Elijah Wood is absolutely menacing as the cannibalistic killer. The second story is called "The Big Fat Kill", in where Dwight (Clive Owen) tries to protect the prostitutes of Basin City from a menacing sex starved guy but ends up sparking a war between the cops and the hookers who previously held a truce. Finally comes my favorite plot, "That Yellow Bastard". This is what noir is all about, the story of a cop coming to the end of his run trying to protect an innocent girl from a pedophile madman, he ends up framed for the crime and after 8 years in prison he sets out to protect the same girl only she's 19 now rather than 11. Everything was done entirely with chroma key (Green Screen), and since it was in black/white it didn't feel cartoonish like Star Wars did. Rodriguez uses light to highlight faces and shadows that make an incredible effect. The only colors in the movie are red, blue, and yellow, which are the primary colors. Green is used twice, and I'm trying to remember if they incorporated the fact that blue and yellow make green, but I can't remember, so maybe I'm just over analyzing with the green. The movie has a lot of personal narration from the characters, and it's not narration of what is going on plot-wise but rather their personal thoughts to the action that is happening. One great line from Bruce Willis is after punching his partner in the face he says to himself, "Hell of a way to end a partnership". Although the lines are sleazy and obvious at times you have to realize that the kind of dialogue used here is a trademark of the noir style. "That Yellow Bastard" was definately the best story of them all because it had emotion to it, "The Hard Goodbye" was great too mainly because of the character of Marv, and "The Big Fat Kill" had some shining moments too but trailed off the radar a few times. The only problem I had was that the narration in Marv's storyline dragged a bit, but overall Robert Rodriguez's talent in film combined with Frank Miller's talent in graphic novels makes one hell of a tribute to film noir. This is pure entertaining filmmaking at its best, it's all style and one hell of an experience.ACTING/DIRECTING: Bruce Willis and Mickey Rourke shine in full glory. They couldn't have gotten any better actors for these roles. All the characters in a film noir are hard-boiled and cynical, and these two played it to perfection. The ensamble cast is endless and everyone was top notch except for Jaime King as Goldie/Wendy, she just can't act. As it goes for the artistic vision, well, does it really need explaining? I mean, brilliant use of shadows and light, using the primary colors only when something needs to be emphasized, and capturing emotion through the setting. One of my favorite scenes was when Bruce Willis' character was framed and in jail for 8 years, he first says that he is alone. The jail cell seems to be floating in an endless darkness, it's all black around the cell. Then comes Quentin Tarantino, who is really only being used as a marketing technique, but you can sense that disturbing Tarantino style and wit during the movie. Rodriguez and Tarantino are best buddies, and really I admire their admiration for classic films and film styles. Tarantino's Kill Bill films were tributes to Kurosawa and Leone, while Rodriguez's "El Mariachi" trilogy is a tribute to Leone's "Man with no name" trilogy. Anyway, Tarantino stopped on the set one day and Rodriguez wanted to show him the digital HD way of film, and let him direct this one scene where Clive Owen and Benicio Del Toro are in a car and Owen starts imagining things in his head.BOTTOM LINE: Robert Rodriguez is the man. He gave up his DGA (Director's Guild of America) membership just so that he could have Frank Miller as a co-director, he really wanted Frank with him at all times so that they could get this one done perfect to Miller's standards. In his recent films if you pay attention to the credits you'll see Robert Rodriguez's name pop up several times. He does his own music, his editing, cinematography, writing, and directing. With Sin City he directed, did the music along with John Debney, and did the visual effects. He takes the workload to make it good, and he knows how to make it good, so I'm not gonna argue | 45 stars
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My fave band since a certain Grunge one split...
In stark contrast to Richard Ashcroft, Dave Grohl has proved that being part of a once all-conquering, now-defunct rock outfit doesn't necessarily mean your career has to nosedive as a result. Rarely allowed out from behind the drums when he was with Nirvana, Grohl has revelled in the chance to prove his songwriting ability ever since that band's demise - and from humble beginnings his new project has gradually developed into a formidable rock'n'roll powerhouse. Two years in the making, One By One finds the Foo Fighters in scintillating form, delivering a host of pop-metal riffs that prove frustratingly hard to dislodge from the memory. It seems that Grohl's recent stint with Queens Of The Stone Age (on their superb album Songs For The Deaf) has proved to be something of a creative watershed, allowing him to re-connect with the primal urges that underpin his lusty brand of tumultuous rock. There's not much variety on offer here, it's true with only a couple of plaintive ballads on hand to balance the onslaught of frenetic guitar jams. Then again, you sense that Grohl isn't really bothered about being a jack of all trades - he's happy to concentrate on what he's good at and he and his band are all the better for it. Highly entertaining. | 34 stars
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Nice Rock Music
i've just discovered snow patrol's song "Spitting Games" on a video games called MVP Baseball 2004-i found some other of their songs and bought the cd...i'm from the states but still their music is great. tracks 2,5,and 6 are the best of the cd | 45 stars
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FANTASTIC
Ive tried many different types of boxers/boxer briefs, these are amazing. After 6 months neither pair has any sign of wear or waist elastic becoming loose or frayed - they appear brand new. VERY cool, comfortable, and they DONT RIDE UP. Super easy to wash in sink and dry really fast. I just bought 2 more pairs so I have 4 different colors. I will never buy any other type of underwear again, without a doubt. Theyre pricey for boxers but their comfort and durability and versatility are absolutely 100% worth it.The fact that I took the time to write a review about a pair of boxers says something in itself as to how great they are. | 45 stars
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A historical novel atypical of James Webb
Not his best work to date. Slow uneventful story profiling the life of one of Macarthur's aides during WWII. Military actions, a love story and lessons learned for the main character. Don't start reading Webb with this - try A Sense of Honor. | 23 stars
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Plot twists make for an interesting story
When I first discovered I must read this book for my 12th grade A.P. English class, I thought, "A history of philosophy? How good can ths book be?" But the book is kept alive by the plot, which twists and turns in many directions before revealing a surprise climax - that Sophie is merely an element of a story. The exploration of philosophy and the surprise ending definitely answer the question "Who are we?," which Sophie first pondered at the begining of the story. I'm not especially interested in philosophy or other subjects of the sort, but I found Sophie's World to be an interesting and intriguing book. Despite what I have read in many of the reviews, Sophie's World should be read for a dual purpose, as both a story and a history of philosophy. | 34 stars
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Beatles Anthology
I bought this for my father as a Christmas gift and he just loved it. Good for any fan of the Beatles and the best part is the affordable price and great content! | 45 stars
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Eh!
I know it's an old movie but I expected the video quality to be better. It's almost as bad as a bootleg video. | 23 stars
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One of the Best
This is a movie to have in your own collection. The special effects are amazing and all the action in the movie is simply spectacular. This is one of the best action movie created!!!!..."Hasta la vista baby". | 45 stars
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VERY Nice Shirt
This is a really nice shirt. The material is high quality, the stitching is cleanly done, the fit is excellent (15 - 34 sleeve). Very high quality at a good price. Recommended. | 45 stars
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Is The Writing On the Wall, will he give up?
The first four books were excelent, even better than Tolkein. In the 'Wheel Of Time' series Jordan shows that he is the master of creating a fantasy 'universe'. Unfortunately the weath of absorbing detail means that the plot starts to grind to a halt, especially so in 'aCoS' (the timespan of the book is only two weeks). If he continues his trend it seems that it will be another 3-4 books before he can even contemplate finishing. The crunch point is that the story showed that Jordan has no idea how to end his epic series and even more important is the fact that aCoS was published in 1996 and the release date for the 8th book is pencilled in at 3rd Q. 1998. Does this mean that Jordan will give up the series as a project to difficult to bother to complete? | 34 stars
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Well thought out novel!!
A SEPERATE PEACE contained a large amout of emotional conflicts in the protagonist, Gene Forester. Gene and Phineas,Gene's roommate,are the best of friends in the begging of the book. One little incident causes a "War" between the two. Knowles composed this piece of literature to my satisfaction. This book should be a favorite to all bibliofiles. | 34 stars
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Life-altering. Simple but brilliant.
This book has impacted me deeply. I couldn't really deal with reading "A Course in Miracles" itself---too much biblical-speak for my tastes---but Marianne's take on it did the trick. I have little cards with some of her words on them on my walls and whatnot. That's how important it is. I don't agree with every little thing she says but why should that be a requirement?Some of the key ideas in it, for me anyway, were:1.) There is only love and fear. Everything can be distilled into one camp or the other. Holy crap, it's true! I can break it down that way. It makes decision-making simple. What'll it be---fear or love? Duh.2.) If other people are expressing fear (instead of love), it's a good idea to see it as a call for love and to simply love them, rather than offering up more fear to match theirs. Brilliant!3.) Everything we do is a form of teaching others, by just demonstrating and being who we are. So why not teach love instead of fear? I know I want to.Thank you Marianne!How I Met the Man of My Dreams: a Guide to MANifesting Yours | 45 stars
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Liked it so much - I bought 2
I am bad about surprises, so Christmas is especially difficult for me. I bought this ring for my mom, and because I really thought she would like it, I convinced her to open the present early. She tried it on, and unfortunately it was a bit too small. I told her I would send it back, and get a bigger size. I ended up liking it myself, and it fit me, so I kept it for me and ordered her a larger size. I don't normally wear large rings, but this one is not overbearing. The only draw back- my mother and I now have the same ring- we're like the Wonder Twins! | 45 stars
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El Mejor
Este es el mejor de todos los discos de George Michael, previo al disco Simfonica que lo han de editar pronto, idel para esos momentos romanticos y para todos los amantes del Bluez y el Jazz, definitivamente recomendable | 45 stars
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Just not very exciting.
Barenboim's playing is probably not as horrible as the first reviewer suggests. However, Mr. Barenboim's interpretation just sounds directionless and lacking drama to my ears. Listening to these discs feels like one disappointment after another. I must agree that these disc should be avoided. | 12 stars
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...
I can't accurately rate this bc it would NOT open up on my kindle app. So, sorry. books usually open fine on it, so IDK. | 01 star
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deer hunter
thanks for sending it in time for the holidays. i appreciate it - im' sure this version of the movie will be perfrect | 45 stars
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Great,Great,Great
This is truely a great film. The other reviews all tell you it's about abunch of guy's who were drafted and get ready to go to war. Well it is about that but what I got from this film is a story about friendship, about two guy's who don't have anybody and they find each other and form a brotherhood. The movie is so good and the look of the movie is raw and real and it is written so well. The only thing I didnt like was the ending cause it's so real, I think everyone can relate to the ending cause we've all had that friend. | 45 stars
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Mixture of Rach, Tchiakovsky works
I must admit that I first bought the CD solely for Rachmoninoff's Piano Concerto No. 2 but I realized that mixing it with a bit of Peter worked extremely well! All three pieces are masterfully recorded, even if you have heard them all before, the CD is worth buying. | 34 stars
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The Snowman DVD
As a kindergarten teacher, I am always on the lookout for gentle, thought provoking literature and activities that promote higher learning and creativity. I first found The Snowman in book form, and later discovered this jewel of a DVD; a wordless, kind, little 30 minute animated journey a boy makes with his self-created snowman friend. After viewing this DVD my students write about the trips they might take with their own snow person and the adventures they incur. With no dialogue in the DVD, it opens up a new world of quiet thoughtfulness that my students have never been exposed to before. A true gem, I recommend The Snowman highly! | 45 stars
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Decent wine glasses
For the price, these just can't be beat. The rims have a bit of lip, but it's not too noticeable. We use them for everyday and are happy with them. | 34 stars
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5 More Stars for a Classic
I used this book in preparing a Sunday School series on Psalm 23. Its 'alternative' perspective was excellent. Keller uses his (apparantly true - I don't know) experiences as a shepherd to shed light on the text of the Psalm, devoting a chapter to one-half of each verse. The perspectives are very enlightening without drenching the reader in theological theory. I think that he takes some liberties with the text in places (for instance, I am not personally convinced that the "table" that God sets in the presence of our enemies is a "tableland" or grazing mesa, or that David's trumphant declaration of his eternal dwelling in the House of the Lord is the voice of a sheep saying "I ain't leaving!"), but if this is treated as what is it, which is one man's interpretation of a powerful and typically trivialized piece of God's Scripture, it can be a very useful tool.Psalm 23 is not a nursey ryhme or just a pretty poem. As Keller can help us see, it is a summary of many of the attributes of God and the relationship that we can have with him, presented through the metaphor of the sheep and shepherd. I know a few farmers, but no shepherds, and not a lot of people do - nevertheless, God gave us the images of sheep and shepherds, and we all seem to understand them perfectly. And works like Keller's can help even more.A shepherd is a caregiver, a source of food and protection, a healer, a leader, and a trainer. We all will have a shepherd. For most of us, we are our own. That's too bad. David's was the Lord. How about you? | 45 stars
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Nice price
With this I save a lot of money and easy to install and removed my windows stay clear. I received my order fast and price is so good last year I bought same product localy and I paied over 30$. | 34 stars
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Awful cover, awful feel and sound to this wanna be...
For this wanna be hair metal albums. It is an odd assortment of misses with a few diamonds in the rough. Bruce Kulick's first album... you can hear the Van Halen-esque guitar and an obviously forced sound from him. Other than the three videos released from this album all of the other songs are pure filler! Definatley a misguided effoert. You can tell Gene has more input on it( compared to Animalize). This album is for collectors and completeists only! You can get the good stuff on compilations... Don't email me about that comment! Highest point--> Tears Are Falling. | 12 stars
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Great!
I had to read this book for my high school English class. Although I took the easy way out and read the "Cliffs Notes", I found them absolutely enchanting. I later took time to read the book for myself. Bronte uses such magical words and compellingly tragic sentences to blend this book into a masterpiece of Victorian Literature. Through Heathcliff and Catherine she proves that hate, no matter how strong, will always be defeated by love in the end. | 45 stars
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I am happy
Not much to say about rod stock. It came quickly, well packed.Also, I made a couple D rings for leather pet collars I made and they bent without fracturing and are as strong as a brass rod D ring of that diameter should be, so it seems to be well made, tempered.When I run out, I will buy more here. | 45 stars
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Great for the Price
I usually review books but let me break ranks here to jot down a couple of notes about these sheets. We had some gift certificates hanging around and decided to blow them on some quality sheets. Based on the Amazon reviews we eventually went with these and have been very pleasantly surprised. I can't say that they are ultra-soft, but neither was I expecting satin or silk. They are certainly not, as some have stated, like sleeping on hard canvas. Really, my only hesitation is that they are noisy. When you move about between these sheets--rolling over or trying to slip quietly out of bed--they make a lot of noise! But unless the person sharing your bed is an exceedingly light sleeper, I can't imagine that will be much of an issue.These sheets are great value and well worth owning. | 45 stars
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Dark, marginally entertaining road to fame
Eight Mile is a stylish, gritty and often explicative-filled movie that is sorta interesting if you are into rap or Horatio Alger, or want to see Michael Shannon beaten to a pulp by a young Eminem or see Kim Bassinger as a drug addicted mother. Let it be said that Eminem is not much of an actor. Still, the movie is bleak, brisk and upwardly mobile enough but I wouldn't pay more than $3 for it. | 12 stars
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Awesome coffeemaker!!!!!!!!!!
After buying coffeepots for over 30 years I decided to try this one. It was love at first cup!! No more bitter coffee, no more burnt offerings, just wonderful taste. Belive me if you want your first morning coffee to last about 2 hours-which is what mine is-this is the coffee pot for you. Every cup tastes as good as the first. No more glass carafes to break !!!!!!!!! Yeah and thats just an extra benefit, believe me this is the coffeepot to have!!!!!!!!! | 45 stars
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New Research Outdates Valdes' Findings
Valdes' findings have become outdated in the last few years due to the recent changes within the Latino/Hispanic demographic. The basics of her research might still apply to Spanish-dominant Latinos/Hispanics who are now the minority among this whole ethnic group, but not to the majority who are indeed bilingual, more acculturated, and prefer speaking English. This book does not apply to the new Latino/Hispanic -English-dominants, and thus, it is now outdated. Mari D. Gonzalez | 12 stars
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One of his worst
Very predictable and a very stupid ending. | 01 star
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Lovee it
Love it....Love it! I have been trying to find the book, but I guess an electronic copy works better since I will forever own it on my kindle! | 45 stars
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A book that should be read by all!! :)
If ever there was a book that should be read by all, it's this one. This book saved my life, literally. At the time I read it, I had just come out of a very bad situation and thought everything was over for me. My dreams seemed as far away as ever. Then I was looking through the last few pages of a Disney Magazine(one of the last issues published) and saw this book advertised. Being a Disney fanatic, I collect everything Disney, so of course I had to have this book. From the moment I started reading it, I couldn't stop. I'd read a lot of book about my hero(Uncle Walt) over the years but never one like this. Not only did it tell me the incredible story of his life but it gave me lessons based on what had been discussed in the chapter that I could apply to my life. I especially benefitted from the chapter dealing with living out your dreams and becoming the person you were born to be. The lessons were so personal, it was like having a conversation with Uncle Walt himself in some instances. This book allowed me to rededicate myself to my dreams and realize I had so much potential to do great things. I can honestly say my life has changed for the better and I owe all to Uncle Walt and this great book. So to all who haven't read it, READ IT!!! You won't be sorry. | 45 stars
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The Wisdom of Confuucius
A nice copy of an out of print title. It is in very good condition. The text is inciteful and the illustrations are helpful in expressing the points of the text. | 45 stars
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Buy it because of the famous song, LOVE all the other songs!
Last Christmas, radio stations were playing "Christmas Shoes". Just in case you missed it, here's the Chorus:Sir, I want to buy these shoes for my Mama, pleaseIt's Christmas Eve and these shoes are just her sizeCould you hurry, sir, Daddy says there's not much timeYou see she's been sick for quite a whileAnd I know these shoes would make her smileAnd I want her to look beautiful if Mama meets Jesus tonightSo it's worth buying the album for that one song, but every song on this album is GREAT! I love their opening track Christmastime is Here/Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas. Sing Noel is one of my favorites on the album. Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree is such fun to listen to! Then they stuck "You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch". I like their version of it better than the Go Fish version on their Christmas album "More Than a Story".You will recognize "Light Your World" - it was written in 1989, and I had never heard it on an album - just on the radio. So that was a wonderful surprise! And I liked what they did with the traditional Christmas carols. Sometimes they're changed so much in trying to make them unique that they aren't at all appealling! You will surely enjoy the lush orchestration on all these wonderful Christmas carols.The original songs "As the World Slept" and "Christmas Carol" will become a favorites. Listen carefully to the lyrics - unfortunately the liner notes have the lyrics for just one song -Christmas Shoes.NewSong's rendition of "O Holy Night" is majestic and moving! A fitting end for a great Christmas CD!May God bless you as you celebrate Jesus' birth this Christmas season!Please check out my other reviews of Christmas CDs, other Christian CDs, and Chrsitian books. | 45 stars
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Good Shoes
I ordered these for a beginners tap dance class, they arrived on time and in good shape. However they were rather large on me. I have shoes ranging from a 7.5 to a 9, so I ordered the 9 just in case. Just warning, they aren't as small as some make them out to be. | 34 stars
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Powerful Christian Music
Rise Again, has been one of my all-time favorite christian songs for as long as I can remember. Such a powerful, inspiring song and a great voice singing it. | 45 stars
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IF ONLY
There is some really superb cello playing on this disc, and it pains me that I don't feel able to give the disc all 5 stars. What lets the production down, not seriously but still enough to bother me, is the orchestral sound. I don't wish to seem unreasonable, considering that these three recordings are 30 or so years old and that this is a bargain release, but on the other hand I know recordings older than that which are a lot better than these. The issue hardly matters in Kol Nidrei, where the orchestral part is not much more than `background', but such star orchestrators as Tchaikovsky and Dvorak need justice done to their scoring, and on this set the effect is a little bit listless. The orchestra in the Tchaikovsky is the Cleveland under Maazel, so we know what we should have been entitled to expect. In the other two works Ashkenazy directs something called the `Philharmonic Orchestra'. Who on earth might these be? There is a suspicion at the back of my mind that the problem I have with the sound might actually not be entirely attributable to the recording.Harrell's cantabile is downright heavenly in the Dvorak. The great melody in the first movement is everything it ought to be, and Harrell seems to suggest that he has all the time in the world to give it. The end of the slow movement is a thing of dreams, fading into some other spirit realm; and perhaps something similar could be said about the end of the whole work. I am reluctant to give an opinion of my own about that, because I have never got over the feeling that the composer simply overdoes the sentiment here. This final sequence replaced a more vigorous effort, and it is a message of consolation to Dvorak's sister-in-law. I hope I am not guilty of impatience in thinking that a separate composition would have done that job better, this concerto being on the lengthy side already. One way or the other, no interpreter is going to satisfy me here, and Harrell does as well as any. Where he and Ashkenazy between them more than satisfy me is in the way they can indulge the lyricism without letting the first movement fall apart. That is always a risk, and for many years the performance that pleased me best was the old Piatigorsky/Munch account, which kept a firm grip on the structure. I no longer own this, and I wonder now, having Harrell's version, whether there may be a way of keeping the piece coherent while relaxing a touch more.I doubt there are many different ways of doing Kol Nidrei, and this is a beautiful and soulful way. The only comparison I have is perhaps an odd one - on a rather touching recital disc, presumably produced on a shoestring budget - called From Jewish Life. If you can take Kol Nidrei accompanied just by a piano then I can recommend this very varied recital (on Signum Classics) from Paul Marleyn and John Lenehan. This duo take the work very slightly faster, but after all the piano's sustaining power is very restricted, so probably they had better. Any difference in interpretation is mainly the result of that, and the more extensive similarities reinforce both accounts. As I say, there are not all that many different ways of approaching Kol Nidrei.For some reason I have never owned a recording of Tchaikovsky's rococo Variations, so to make up for this longstanding shortfall I have just bought two, the other being a recent (2008) Russian version from Gautier Capucon with Gergiev, sharing a disc with Prokofiev's Sinfonia Concertante. On balance, my feeling so far is that I give my vote to Capucon by a small margin, mainly because of a very pleasing liveliness that he shows at suitable points. Then there's the recorded quality, to hark back to what I started with. This performance is from 1979, and is the earliest of the three making up this disc. Again, a little bit reticent, I feel, giving the new recording that advantage as well.There is a liner note, short and anonymous but quite helpful. I thought the rather sniffy comment about Max Bruch was slightly unfair, so let me declare myself as being in the Bruch lobby. All considered a very good bargain. The performance of the Dvorak in particular is one I would not have wanted to go on being without. My criticism of the recorded sound does not really interfere with my enjoyment, it only stops me from awarding 5 stars. | 34 stars
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good movie tho....
it's a great movie but for pixar?? i would have to give a 4 star rating on thatmy toddler son loved it but it seems like this movie is for girl............... | 34 stars
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Stunned...
Im listening to this CD as Im writing this review and Im exceedingly stunned by the raw beauty of the playing and production.Im new to this artist, but this is simply one of the best finger-style CDs I have ever bought.bluesy/celtic/salty vocals...This is a six star! | 45 stars
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You'll Never Forget the Forgotten Carols!
I rarely have found a book and music with such a touching message as The Forgotten Carols. Anyone professing to believe in Christ or Christmas needs to read the message and feel the spirit this classic provides. | 45 stars
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ATB doing what he does best...making music
One of the best albums Andre has released. The songs Marrakech, Ecstasy, Here with me, Intencity, Collides with beauty...and more are amazing to listen to and keep you coming back to listen to it over and over.I find myself hitting the replay button constantly. ATB really does mean Always The Best. | 45 stars
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Strawberry Girl is a good book.
It's about a young girl named Birdie. Her family is nice byt they have troubles with their neighbors. They kill some animals and I don't think they needed that. They story ends up okay, like most stories. You should read Strawberry Girl It is sad, funny, happy, angry, and a lot of other emotions. Strawberry Girl won the Newberry Medal in 1946. I liked Strawberry Girl, and I think you would too. ... | 34 stars
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Collection of short stories
This collection of short stories about Sherlock Holmes was quite enjoyable. There are a total of 12 stories and each one can be read in 10 - 15 minutes. They always had an interesting problem to solve and Sherlock did it brilliantly. I can see why he is considered one of the greatest fictional detectives ever.This is a good way to be introduced to Sherlock Holmes. There were a couple of novels published before these short stories, but this is still a good place to start. Highly recommended. | 45 stars
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The BEST Sci-Fi movie ever, BUT...
...The next two movies absolutely SUCK. I won't cover what the Matrix is about, that has been done to death in other reviews. I will however tell you that I think the Matrix is the BEST sci-fi movie of all time (YES, better than Star Wars). When it hit the big screen in the late 90's to little fanfare, I went to see it. It blew me away. It was, fresh, original, had a staggering concept, good dialogue, great action, even great acting from the normally meatheaded Reeves. It was the total package for a sci-fi movie. When it was announced there would be two more, I waited anxiously...and waited...and waited...after what seemed like an eternity, the next movies hit the big screen... what the $%#?!?!The next two movies are TERRIBLE, and TOTALLY wreck the magic the first one created. The second movie doesn't even move the story forward, you can jump right to the third one and understand what's going on. The hugely awesome ending to the first one becomes the biggest anti-climax in movie history at the start of #2 too. On top of all of this, #3 is completely unsatisfying, and leaves you wondering why you wasted those extra hours of your life. I wrote this review to warn everyone who hasn't seen these movies to watch the first one but DON'T WATCH THE OTHER TWO!!!....ok, ok, I know you will anyway, but just remember: you have been warned. On a side note, the first movie stands alone perfectly as a complete story. The other two aren't necessary at all, but watch them if you wish. I only watch the first one now and am much happier to pretend the other two don't exist.The Matrix is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED! | 45 stars
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The Hobbit
I was very interested in this book from the start. I started it third period on a Monday during school, I finished it third period the next Monday (a week later). This is the fastest I've ever finished a book. As soon as I started the book I knew this was a great book,but still had no idea how good. The more I read the more i got into it. Before I knew it I was done with it. My friend was the one who reccomended it to me. And i was reluctant at first but now I'm glad I did. I would recomend it to anyone who likes fantasy books that have lots of magic, magical creatures(and none magical),and anyone who likes to read. | 45 stars
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