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LABEL,FILENAME,STARS,TITLE,DATE,AUTHOR,PRODUCT,REVIEW
0,21_4_R1JH34OBKSOXTW.txt,5.0,Love it!!!,"July 24, 2009","DramaQueenBean ""DQB""",Epson Artisan 50 Color Inkjet Printer (C11CA45201) (Electronics),"I bought this printer to replace my dymo discpainter that has been nothing but trouble, and I'm thrilled with the quality of the direct print DVDs. The software isn't the best, but I can export my designs from my other software as a photo file and the epson print disc software prints it beautifully. I tried photo printing for the first time today and LOVE IT! I love the 5 ink concept - the images are so crisp. I've only had the printer for a week now, but so far I'm completely happy with it. The price was great too."
0,44_4_R1BI39GWYJG8I5.txt,5.0,Perfect fan for a small office space,"September 10, 2007",Stephen Grundman,Lasko 4000 Air Stik Ultra-Slim Oscillating Fan (Kitchen),"The Lasko 4000 Oscillating Ultra Slim Fan is perfect for circulating cool air in a small office space. The fan easy fits on a small computer desk, circulates air quietly, and has the benefit of a low and high speed. The slim, small size makes this fan unobtrusive. Very satisfied."
0,41_2_R18GC0MI18ADKT.txt,5.0,Excellent natural sound,"January 10, 2007",Michael Beckham,Yamaha YST-SW216BL Advanced YST II Front-Firing Active Subwoofer (Electronics),"This subwoofer puts out plenty of deep tight natural sounding bass, not ""boomy"" bass. It sounds great! I am using a Harmon Kardon 3380 receiver and 2 Klipsch SB-1 bookshelf speakers, and this sub in a 12x20 room and it fills the room with sound.I listen to mostly jazz and classical, with some new-age thrown in. On ocassion though I pop in Sound Garden or Metallica too. I find that I have to adjust the bass output down quite abit when rockin' out, or the bass is overwhelming.There is no auto on feature on this sub, but I have it plugged into a switched outlet on the receiver, so it goes off and on with it.Overall, I recommend it highly."
0,34_1_R62ZHMJJS21E3.txt,5.0,Great value,"June 28, 2010",B. Cammack,"Silvertone Rockit 21 Guitar Package, Wine Red (Electronics)","I picked up one of these at a garage sale for $20. I replaced a broken pickup selector switch ($13.00), installed a new set of strings, adjusted the action, intonation, and pickups. It rocks! I'd buy a brand new one at this price in a heartbeat.
These are made by Samick, who purchased the Silvertone name to directly sell their guitars in America instead of just building guitars for other manufacturers. The Epiphone SG Custom was manufactured by Samick for Epiphone/Gibson for a while. I saw one with exactly the same inspection sticker as my yard-sale Silvertone!
My unit is fairly beat up, but some touch up with a black Sharpie prettied it up quite a bit. I suspect that the switch was broken when the guitar did a face plant at some point. Buy a guitar stand if you order one of these. Despite all of this, the neck on mine was dead-straight after a slight adjustment of the truss rod.
I love mine. I'll bet you like yours once you get it set up correctly. I'm eyeing that SSLA-30 Blues Master (http://www.amazon.com/Silvertone-Master-Electric-Guitar-Transparent/dp/B000189YBW) as my next electric guitar.
I'm sold on Silvertone guitars."
0,47_11_R1NXRDDF2A9WBK.txt,4.0,"Good fit, okay finish","June 25, 2010",Shodan CST,MiVizu Black iPhone 4G Skin Case for iPhone 4 / 4th Generation compatible with 16GB / 32GB + Screen Protector and MiniSuit LCD Cleaner keychain,"I order this product after pre-ordering my iPhone 4 on June 15th. It was the only case I could find that seems to readily availble to ship from the merchant. Received the item promptly just a few days before the phone arrived. It included a front screen protector and a cleaning cloth.
The fit is pretty accurate and serves the purpose for protecting the sides and back of the phone considering it was likely manufactuered with limited specs available for the iPhone 4.
My only complaint is with the finish - there is a raised seam all the way around the sides (and over the round volume buttons) where it's aparent the two halves the of the case were fused together or the injection mold wasn't cut properly. And the edges of the open cutouts for the headphone, mute button, dock connector, etc has a similar yet smaller lip around the openings.
A minor complaint with the screen protector that it has that ""rainbow"" or oily look to it when held at an angle to the room light when the phone is off or on standby. But viewing the phone directly you can't see it.
But for my needs - having a case and screen protector available for the day I got my phone for a inexpensive price - this case meets my needs. I plan to replace it in the future as other product become available and use this case as a back up.
(Pictures of the seams coming soon)"
0,48_14_R1MMGL849PVNP.txt,5.0,Excellent Product!,"February 13, 2009",I. Perry,Miss Jessie's Original Baby Buttercreme - 8 oz (Health and Beauty),"Baby Buttercreme is fantastic. In our house, we have four different hair textures. My husband has slightly coarse, wavy hair, my eldest son has loose soft curls, I have soft and tightly coily hair, and my baby has very tightly coiled and coarse hair. Baby Buttercreme is an effective moisturizer for all of us. Believe me, I have tried a ton of less expensive alternatives and none come close."
0,38_15_R1ERNL8CBA0VZV.txt,5.0,Feedback,"March 4, 2010",Tom Weaver,"Sharp LC19SB27UT 19-Inch 720p LCD HDTV, Black (Electronics)","Delivered in a timely manner and as advertised. This is a nice TV. Took it out of the box and hooked it up with no problems. Picture quality does depend on the quality of the input signal, think about it. I have it hooked up to a good cable signal and the picture is great. Nice selection of inputs. Only complaint is the speaker volume. In a quiet room there wouldn't be a problem. I watch it while riding my Airdyne exercise bike and it needs the aux. speakers I hooked up to it so I can hear it above the ambient noise. Still was a good buy."
0,17_11_RN4QRZOH6KZ39.txt,5.0,The best Food Processor/blender!!,"November 22, 2009","M. Greenwald ""Martha Greenwald""",Euro-Pro Ninja Master Prep Blender and Food Processor (Kitchen),"The Ninja Master Prep is by far the best blender in the market. Great technology, great design with the motor on the top so you can easily transfer from one task to the next. I love it!! I had purchased the Vita Mix back in July 2009, I used it about six times and the motor burnt out! I was able to return it without a problem but I really was looking for a machine like the Ninja. I can make smoothies, and silky sorbets using frozen fruit. I love it so much I bought two(2) of them! I purchased mine at Target for $49.99. I think that was a great price after having spent $400.00 on the Vita Mix which in my opinion is old technology compared to the Ninja. The Ninja really does perform great!! I would recommend this product to anyone who uses it for mixed drinks, sorbets and smoothies. The double blade technology is a great inventions!! I was shocked at the price for this type of technology!!"
0,24_9_RIGWDBT5PGGRS.txt,5.0,Works like a dream!,"October 4, 2008",L. A. Alderman,PediPaws Pet Nail Trimmer (Misc.),"I was a little unsure about this purchase since most ""seen on tv"" products are cheap and don't work. BUT I love this! It worked on my 50 lb dog and my little 15 lb dog. My little dog is scared to death of noises, but she wasn't bothered at all. They both actually liked getting this done. I was in shock! It trimmed their nails perfectly. I give this product 2 paws up!"
0,16_8_R209MC0S1K5X7Z.txt,5.0,Amazing product,"July 13, 2010",Juan Luis Bonnin,Apple iPod classic 160 GB Black (7th Generation) NEWEST MODEL (Electronics),"What can I say, it's an iPod. This is an amazing product. I had been using a different media player whose memory (60 gb) got filled up with my music. No fear of that with this one (160 gb). Once you get used to using iTunes (yeah, you have to), it is quite easy to set up your music any which way you want. It is quite simple to build playlists by album, genre, or artists. I have been listening to some of my music I had not heard in a long time. And if you use the shuffle feature, you will never get bored, it becomes like a ""box of chocolate""; you never know what you are going to get. Very satisfied with this product."
0,14_12_R1FDH7MK09IQEO.txt,4.0,Great utility add on,"December 15, 2009",Joanne Rusch,"Amazon Kindle 2 (2nd Generation) USB Car Charger, USB Wall / Travel Charger, Earphones, and Screen Protector / Guard","If you own a kindle, you will want multiple charging options. This set provides extremely useful pieces. You get the basic kindle charging connection from kindle to USB. You then get two other pieces - USB to car charger and USB to wall plug. You can use the latter two pieces with any other device to USB cord - making this useful for more than just a kindle."
0,3_2_R3IGU0BNYTSUQ0.txt,5.0,Bigger than I thought with same DSi functions!,"March 28, 2010",AlexJouJou,Nintendo DSi XL Bronze (Video Game),"Firstly I'd like to say I'm a 43 year old mom. I got into gaming several years ago and my kids and I have a lot of fun with the Nintendo DS. We have had the original DS, DS Lites, DSi's, and now the DSi XL. I got an XL for myself. My son has many GBA games so he doesn't want one (because the DSi XL cannot play any GBA - Gameboy Advance- games) and my daughter thought it was too big to be portable. She likes something that fits easily into a backpack or jacket pocket. Although I think the XL could I'd probably agree if you are going for portability then the regular DSi should do you just fine. The reason I chose the XL is because I play primarily at home and I play a lot of puzzle games. Someimes these types of games are hard to see, especially the seek and find. I'm hoping this larger sized one helps that.
Even though I knew it was larger it is LARGER than I thought. That's a good thing because it is almost more like a PDA or something as far as size. Nice and substantial. It is also heavier than I anticipated. This is the only thing I'm a little concerned with as I like to play laying in bed at night and sometimes I'll play for a couple of hours. I would not want my hand getting extra tired holding the unit up. Additionally it is not as easy to hold this one handed and put the stylus in the other. It might be a fine line but it doesn't quite feel as comfortable as the DSi in that regard. It feels similar to how the PSP would feel if you held it one handed. Slightly off balance. Edited to Add: Played for 2 hours last night. Although it took a while I did find a comfortable position to hold the XL. It is not as comfortable for extended periods as the regular DSi but it did not get too heavy and my arms did not get sore. I'm quite relieved!
The top part actually has an audible click when you open up the unit. The DSi did not have this click although one of our DS Lite units did. The regular DSi opened smoothly without any catches--this one does not. There is definitely a click. The hinge looks strong enough. We lost one DS Lite to the hinge crack issue so I'm glad to see these hinges look sturdy. The other thing regarding the hinges is that the top piece moves a little when you move the unit. It is not super floppy but it does move when the unit does. I tested it against the DSi and the DS Lite and it took more effort to make those cover or top pieces move. It may be the weight itself which causes this. I will be keeping an eye on my hinges though just to be sure.
It connected right up to my internet with no problems. I went into the DSi shop and I didn't notice any difference between the XL and my regular DSi. Flawless. I must say, though, that I HATE that I could not take my DSi games with me to this upgrade (Nintendo is so far behind the ball on this and it is one of few complaints I have of Nintendo). Lame Nintendo. Seriously lame!
I got the bronze. It has a nearly black top and the inside is black. The bronze is only on the bottom and sides and it is definitely bronze. From the pictures online it looks more chocolate brown but it is not. I wavered back and forth with this and burgundy. I have not seen the burgundy out of the box but suspect it looks gorgeous. The glossy top looks like an overcoat similar to what is put on cars and trucks. Not like how the DS Lite covers were (although in two tone color this one is nearly exactly the same as the DS Lite Crimson or Blue with the colors in the same places and black in the same places except for the top because this one has the bronze color around the edges and the DS Lite's had the crimson or blue).
It does not feel ""matte"" on the bottom.It has a slightly grainy feel--not sure how to describe it. Kind of like how the non shiny cover of my printer feels. I remember when I got the DSi it almost seemed grainy and powdery. Not so with the XL.
Overall I'm very happy with the color-its classy!
Screen: This was my big worry. So far those worries are fairly groundless. I've tested out several types of games and in most apsects it is absolutely as good as the regular DSi. For the most part I get no pixelation or stretching and I definitely haven't noticed any ghosting or lines. While I was playing Bejeweled Twist I did notice that the gems were not as crisp as they are on the regular DSi. For me it was noticable but not bothersome. They were not blurry just a little more fuzzy than normal.
Edited to Add: I've tried several additional games and haven't noticed any issues except on games like Lunar Knights which already had a more pixelated look even on my DS Lite and regular DSi. Just slightly more noticable here but again not enough to impact. If I wasn't such a video game addict I likely wouldn't notice but I play every day.
My original DSi had several problems (Nintendo sent me a replacement)-this one has none of them. The battery cover does not ""cave"" in like my DSi and the insert window around the touch screen is solid--no light shows through. This XL feels as if it is a much higher quality console.
I've played with the regular stylus and the bigger pen type stylus. Either is fine but I prefer the regular stylus. The pen stylus might be good for someone who likes to hold the stylus like a pen but it is not a make or break for me.
The other functions (camera and the settings) worked well. No problems encountered. The charger looks to be the same as the regular DSi and this unit fits fine in my G Pak organizer. Edited to Add: Sound--it is actually slightly better sounding than the regular DSi. It feels as if it almost has a deeper sound. More like surround type sound. Also if you have a regular DSi there is a point when you are adjusting sound where it goes from quieter to regular and almost seems like it skips a step. The XL does not do this -- the sound progression is very good. I put in my Dragon Quest V as the music is very majestic and it felt more like it was enveloping me in the sound than a regular DSi (tested it with my daughters).
Overall I'm very happy and will update with the weight issue if it becomes a problem. Other than that I'm excited to go play my games and see them on the big screen!"
1,276426_6_R1UC05T0AVT9C0.txt,1.0,More Social Commentary than Good Science Fiction,"May 2, 2010",T. Dowell,Avatar (Two-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo) [Blu-ray] (Blu-ray),"So is this the best selling movie of all time? Well it is certainly the most over hyped and overrated movie of all time. Don't get me wrong, I really enjoy good science fiction movies, but this is nothing more than typical Hollywood social commentary wrapped up in a long and boring melodrama with unrealistic and drawn out action scenes.
The social commentary becomes paramount to the movie and prevents this from being any more than a simplistic storyline with stereotypical characters who have unimaginative roles. There are no suprises here. No unexpected turns or twists. It almost verges on satire. The movie is supposed to be futuristic, with complex technology, and sophisticated technological operations on planet Pandora. You would think it would require humans with specialized training sophistication as well; yet the guy running the robotic bulldozer is portrayed as some redneck in in his flannel shirt and baseball cap. The evil money grubbing corporate guy is dressed in a present day shirt and tie, practicing his golf skills in the middle of the operations room. T-shirts, present day military outfits, bows and arrows? Futuristic? Give us a break."
1,12_18_R2RXXTYPUOXFNJ.txt,1.0,Poorly designed snapset pool,"June 24, 2010","Alisa Moslavac ""Little Man's Mom""","Intex 8' X 18"" Sun Fish Snapset Pool (Toy)","This pool absolutely sucks. It takes 3-4 people just to set it up. If you have even the slightest slope in your yard or haven't pulled the bottom liner tight enough you have to empty ALL of the water in order to move it and start all over again! My son enjoyed this pool ONE time and the following night (after struggling several times the previous day just to set it up!) we had a tornado blow through and it shredded (yes, shredded) this pool to bits and pieces. Would not recommend this pool nor will I ever buy a snapset pool again!"
0,15_19_R1E05JMND5FGQV.txt,5.0,These are the perfect baby wipe!,"June 2, 2006",J. Lien,"Seventh Generation Baby Wipes Refills, Chlorine Free and Unscented, 70-Count Packs (Pack of 12) (840 Wipes) [Amazon Frustration-Free Packaging] (Health and Beauty)","I love these baby wipes. They're strong, they stay moist, and they don't leave residue or a scent on the baby. My daughter doesn't get diaper rash from them either. Because they contain aloe, they're good for my hands, too, which helps because new moms are constantly washing their hands. I haven't found any place other than Amazon where they're cheaper - Amazon is the place to buy them. I've also purchased a case of the travel size wipes for the diaper bag - they're perfect. I was actually given a case of huggies wipes at my baby shower and haven't used them because I like the Seventh Generation ones better. What could be better than a product that really works well and is better for the planet than the other choices out there? I won't change brands after finding these!"
0,276427_4_R131PA46HGQB37.txt,5.0,LoVe iT!!,"May 12, 2010","C. Pruitt ""MuWah 2 ReaDinG!!""",Motorola DROID A855 Android Phone (Verizon Wireless) (Wireless Phone),"I love my DROID....this phone is AweSomE!!, it has spoiled me 2 death with all it does. I'm always on it, I feel like a kid in a candy store knowing it's mine and on my hip @ all times..IDK why it took me so long 2get a smartphone, but I'm glad that I have one now. I am also a keyboard person, so having one was a must...I don't really care 4 the touch screen keypad, and I don't use the one on the DROID, I NEED 2 feel the keys if U will, lol...It's simply WonDerFul!!
I'm truly a HapPy CamPer!!"
0,44_8_R35G97DQJ4KE8N.txt,5.0,Great for the price!,"June 1, 2010","Deborah L. Shackelford ""Debbie""","Paradise GL23836BK2 Plastic Solar Spot Light, 2-Pack, Black (Tools & Hardware)",Product is great for the price. I actually bought these to light up my American Flag at night. Which is what you are suppose to do if you have a Flag hanging at night. I am using both of them to light the Flag up. No great big spotlight but what I needed and a price I wanted.
0,2_14_R3OSJ2J8B34M1K.txt,4.0,Nice tee,"July 12, 2008","T. Neenan ""Digiman""",The Mountain Men's Power & Grace Short Sleeve Tee (Apparel),"It doesn't get any better then this, perfect transaction & very fast shipping. A little heavier quality would be nice because the graphics are so good. I have a few of these t shirts and after several washings (about 6 months), they seem to be holding up well."
1,5_14_R2BECJPRGIF9M.txt,1.0,Are You KIDDING Me?,"March 4, 2008",A. Changeling,"Twilight (The Twilight Saga, Book 1) (Paperback)","I understand setting. And build up. And suspense. So after reading 100 pages of this book, I didn't give it too much thought that nothing had happened. Here is my report of what happened after that:
200 pages: Nothing has happened.
300 pages: Nothing has happened.
350 pages: Nothing has happened.
400 pages: NOTHING HAS HAPPENED.
Are you Kidding me?
Wait. WAIT. On page 441, something happens. SOMETHING IS HAPPENING. O my God, this is it. Something is really going to happen! I plodded through this padded wasteland and finally something is going to happen!
Oh. Wait. It's resolved by page 451.
I'm not making this up.
So let me sum it up for you.
Bella falls for Edward because he is attractive (we are told he looks like an ""angel"" ""is angelic"" ""is seraphic"" and oh, again, ""looks like an angel,"" on about pages 3, 4, 5, 10, 15, 17, 20, 33, 34, 35, 40, 44 . . . you get the idea. I understand that ""angel"" might not be in a thesaurus, but FOR GODDSAKES, find a new description. Also, his hair is described, alternately, as auburn and bronze. Did anyone else have a problem with the fact that these are completely different colors? Seriously.
So Bella loves Edward for his looks. How precious.
Edward loves Bella for her smell.
What a beautiful, timeless romance.
Spare me.
Also, was anyone painfully unimpressed with the whole Alice side-story? Meyer obviously planted the hints about Alice's missing memory, only to explain it away later to *shock and surprise* us, with something completely uninteresting. It's like the saying goes: if you see a gun in chapter one, it's going to go off in chapter three. But if the gun goes off in chapter three during target practice and only manages to hit a tree branch, did it even NEED to be in chapter one in the first place? The Alice thing was pointless. Call me when you have a real twist.
I imagine this book is lovely for ambitious twelve year olds who want to tackle a five hundred page novel. They will find it easy to do so, because Twilight reads like a painfully long letter an immature but stuck-up pre-adolescent writes to her pen pal.
I am SO SAD this passes for good teenage fiction.
And this is why, when someone announces she writes Young Adult fiction, that people say, ""Why don't you want to write real books?""
And that
Sucks."
0,27_8_R3HIE3Q8O8BSJG.txt,5.0,Great phone,"February 6, 2010",S. Ralph,LG Neon GT365 Prepaid GoPhone (AT&T) with $50 Airtime Credit (Wireless Phone),"I bought this phone to replace one I had that wasn't working well. I need to say though that I do not use this with a gophone plan. I have a regular family plan with AT&T and of course the customer service will not tell you that you can use a gophone as a replacement. If you aren't eligible for an upgrade they will tell you that you have to buy one at full price, usually $200 & up. Gophones work just fine, just don't use the sim card that comes with it, put in the one from your old phone. It actually has directions inside the package that tells you how to use the gophone with your regular plan, and they credit the $50 airtime as like an extra 150 minutes to your plan. As far as the phone, I couldn't be happier. The slide feature is great with the qwerty keyboard and the battery life has been great. We have three LG phones in our plan and they all use the same chargers, which is very convenient."
1,24_13_R3JUQA0325OK1L.txt,1.0,"Husband A Huge Crook, She,: Bitter and Paranoid.","January 9, 2008","Read to Think ""Read To Think""",Target: Caught in the Crosshairs of Bill and Hillary Clinton (Hardcover),"Her Husband embezzled so much money, that he would rather kill himself rather than face his crime. So She decides to go to Oval Office to get a job. Imagine what the Clinton enemies would have said if Clinton had given a government job to the wife of a huge fundraiser who was a convicted felon?
The tone of her book is just blaming and bitter. Lie down with swine my dear get covered in Mud.
That said, Clinton should never be forgiven for betraying the people who believed in him, for cheap and lurid sex.
Because of his MonicaGate, we now have to pay with 8 years of the evilest President since Nixon. Thanks Bill"
0,276426_7_R2OCWCQBX241C7.txt,5.0,Compelling Reading!,"June 23, 2010",Mrs. B. Lawrence,The God Delusion (Paperback),"I highly recommend this book to anyone who is searching for answers to Life, the Universe and Everything (with apologies to Douglas Adams - read that one too!). Written with passion and insight it makes compelling reading. If you are an independent thinker, a quester for answers to the origin of the human race and one who has an open mind about the effect that mythology (religion) has had on human history, you will find this book enthralling. This book should appeal to atheists because it tells them that they no longer have to put up with mythologies foisting their views on them and they should be confident and proud to be an independent thinker. The book should also be read by creationists because how can you condemn it if you haven't read it? (Notice how many people condemn evolution without ever having opened a book of Darwin's and yet non adherents to mythology seem to have read many of the great mythological works such as the Bible). Read it. It may change your life. You won't regret it."
0,16_6_R1BZNNYVXCWTIV.txt,5.0,Calming and Clearing,"November 25, 2008","Jennifer Ford ""Jenn Ford""",Proactiv Solution Refining Mask 2.5 Oz (Health and Beauty),"I've used this mask for years. When I was younger (teens and early twenties) I had oily acne prone skin and used the entire Proactiv system. Now that I'm 30 and my skin has dried out, I use this mask once, or twice a week to clear my pores and to calm inflamed pimples. It works best after a shower when skin is soft and the ""gunk,"" in your Tzone is soft, too. I apply, hang out for twenty or thity minutes and rinse with warm water, or exfoliate with a warm wash cloth. Results are not permanent, but for a few days at least, bye bye blackheads. Remember, for BEST results, use this mask after your shower, or steam your face carefully over a pot of hot water with a towel (to catch the steam) and apply when skin is warm and soft. =o)"
0,7_7_R38E25GZJ8X5PQ.txt,5.0,Better than the first!,"February 27, 2009","C. R. Swanson ""wilybadger.wordpress.com""",Fable II (Video Game),"Fable II, the aptly-named sequel to Fable, hit the markets a while back. I didn't have a way to play it then, but I do now, so even if this review isn't terribly timely, I hope you'll find it helpful.
The game takes place in the world of Albion, a beautiful, lovely world somewhere between the Renaissance and the Enlightenment. In that it quickly differentiates itself from most fantasy worlds.
You play the Hero. You don't get a name, but you can get titles (like Lionheart, Executioner or the NAMBLA-friendly, Chicken Chaser). You can be male or female, good or evil. You can marry the opposite sex or the same sex. You can customize your looks with new hair styles, tattoos, facial hair and hair dye. You get all sorts of different clothes to pick from, and get scars when you die. You also age.
In addition, you get a whole slew of skills. You can learn how to chop wood, for example. If that's not exciting enough, you can also tend bar! Blacksmithing, bounty hunting and a couple other jobs round things out.
If jobs aren't your thing, you can go on a whole series of quests, though not very many. During these quests, you can earn gold which you can use to buy all the usual stuff, plus real estate. Yes, if you want you can become the next Donald Trump! One of my friends has done this and basically owns every bit of property that can be owned.
This is an action RPG, which is different from regular RPGs in that you don't select options from a menu screen. No, instead you bash, smash and crush your enemies by repeated button-mashing. Think of the Zelda games. You have both melee weapons and ranged weapons as well as a series of spells, some of which can be lots of fun!
Along the way, you have a dog acting as your faithful companion. Allegedly he helps in fights, but not so you'd notice. What he mostly does is sniff out treasure, and that's a damn nice thing, given how well-hidden some of the treasure chests are.
Graphics wise, this is one of the most beautiful games on any system. Everything looks gorgeous, even the darker and more unpleasant spots.
If it seems like I'm focusing overly much on the non-story aspects of the game, it's cause the story, well, kind of falls short. It's the usual ""fight against someone who killed your sister"" kind of plot. Nothing memorable. It's also rather brief. There's nothing wrong with it, per se, but it's not very original.
Still, the joy is in the journey, and this is one of the best games of its kind out there. Highly recommended!"
0,27_18_R14LZ5EGDPB18J.txt,5.0,10.5,"February 8, 2007","Joan Cannon ""Joan Cannon""",10.5 (DVD),"Really like this movie and its sequeal 10.5 apocalypse.
One of the best earthquake movies I've seen"
0,33_12_RU0BR91PJ2DG7.txt,5.0,"A whole lot of polishing make it an efficient, worhtwhile upgrade","June 16, 2010","Surgery100 ""ADJ""",Microsoft Office 2010 Home & Student (Disc Version) (DVD-ROM),"I've had an opportunity to use Office 2010 Beta edition for a couple of months now and now that I see the full, final, edition I can say that this is a very worthwhile upgrade. First things first, I am not a techie. I am someone who uses Word, Excel and PowerPoint on a very regular basis, who really liked some of the changes in Office 2007 but who thought some things needed tweaking, so when given the opportunity for the beta edition I jumped on it and have not been disappointed. Office 2010 is to Office 2007 what Windows 7 was to Vista; that is, there are not many breakthrough, drastically different features, but a whole lot of polishing and cleanup to make it easier and more efficient. Overall, the program seems to run faster, incorporates many of the most commonly used options and makes them more accessible (eliminating many dialog boxes and tabs) and allows for more customization.
At first glance it looks very much like its predecessor, the ribbon is back and it is now also found on OneNote. There are plenty of sites that will give you a play-by-play on all the features available in this new version, so I'm just going to mention some of the biggest improvements that I've seen.
1) The biggest change is the addition of the web apps. It may not be a true direct competitor to google docs, but it allows for easier sharing of documents, as well as making your documents more accessible.
2) The ribbon is back and it now includes the ""File"" option and a new feature called ""Backstage view."" Backstage view incorporates the most commonly used actions in one place (yay! no more dialog boxes with tabs). You get the usual open, save and print, but you also get several templates for new documents, print layouts and ways to share your work, all without dialog boxes and tabs, everything is much more easily accessible.
3) Another new feature is that the ribbon is now customizable so you can organize it according to your needs.
4) There is a Paste Preview which lets you switch between paste options so you can make sure that your work will be formatted correctly.
Changes in PowerPoint.
You can now edit video directly on PowerPoint. You can trim a video, add effects, fades and even triggers for animations for the presentation. Another new feature is that you can add effects and edit images without the need for third party software.
Changes in Word.
One nifty new feature in Word is called ""Navigation pane,"" which replaces the old document map. It incorporates minor changes in design that make big changes in productivity and ease of use. It allows you to quickly rearrange the document. Take for example a document with several headings/sections. The Navigation pane provides a list of all the headings. The headings are live, so you can drag them up or down, thus rearranging the document. It also incorporates most of the functions that used to be available in the ""Find"" dialog box but now they are all visible so you don't have to go digging through several menus to find the option that you need.
Changes in Excel.
Most of the changes in Excel deal with very large datasets. There is a new PowerPivot add-in which works great if you are dealing with a very large dataset that does not fit in one Excel spreadsheet. PowerPivot pulls the data from multiple sources (several Excel spreadsheets for instance) to analyze it.
Summary:
Overall this is one well planned and executed upgrade that essentially takes all the promises of Office 2007 and makes them a reality. Yes, some things are different, and it will take some getting used to; but, once you realize the improvement in efficiency you'll agree that the changes are mostly for the positive. The only thing that I truly wish had changed but didn't is that this version does not include Outlook. That is available in the Home and Business version."
1,44_8_R3INOB4OWD4Z0U.txt,1.0,Not so bright...,"June 8, 2010",lcreadsalot,"Paradise GL23836BK2 Plastic Solar Spot Light, 2-Pack, Black (Tools & Hardware)","This product, if it works, couldn't light up a dandelion let alone a tree or address sign. I am very disappointed in this product and would not buy it again or recommend it to anyone else."
1,276425_11_R9OGOZLOROD7F.txt,5.0,A real page turner!,"October 19, 2004",Shadfox,Boldtext Pew Bible: King James Version (Hardcover),"Looking for a spooky tale to curl up to this Halloween season? Is there a glaring gap between your Stephen King and Anne Rice books on the shelf? Here's the perfect horror novel to plug it with!
A supernatural thriller to the core, the monster in this book will thrill and chill you! A demonic entity named Yahweh sets humanity up with the perfect trap: the Tree of Life. Knowing they'll eat the otherwise purposeless fruit, he slaps them with a generational curse that binds them to his malevolent will! What follows is the most twisted tale of evil ever written! Yahweh, egotistical and ragingly jealous, uses those under his control to rape and pillage cultures that don't worship him. Men, women and animals alike were slain in these bloodthirsty raids. The only hope you had was being a virgin woman whom Yahweh encourages to be conquested [Deuteronomy 21:10-13], [Deuteronomy 20:13-16].
If you have a hard time reading about cruel animal and human sacrifices, perverted sexual references and the murder and abuse of children I suggest not picking this up. This is a true tale of horror and our villian is far from tactful! However, Yahweh's not a transparent, homocidal manaic. To be so would be far too predictable and I commend the author on his skillful character development. What makes Yahweh so fiendish is that he commits his violent acts under the veneer of love! To fool humanity futher he sent down a hippy version of himself and later set that person up to die, quenching his bloodlust once again. But, that's not where the horror ends! I hate to give away the ending but it's far too devious to go unmentioned! In the end his cult followers will be sucked into an alternative dimension where they will toil and praise his ego to neverending extents. Those who choose not to accept his conditional, unconditional love will find themselves in a sadistic torture pit of his making.
What's really neat about this work of fiction is you don't even have to pay for it! There's many fan bases out there that will happily provide you with a copy!"
0,24_15_R3PKI27JFNBAVX.txt,5.0,Great Motherboard,"March 13, 2009",L. LE,Intel DP45SG Extreme Series P45 ATX DDR3 1333 2xPCIe 2.0x16 3xPCI 1333MHz FSB LGA775 Desktop Board - Retail (Electronics),"So far no problems like the ones listed by previous reviewers. Everything works great. I love the drivers getting installed so easily with the included CD. Also when I tried to overclock the memory, after the reboot the motherboard didn't like the settings, so it rebooted itself again after that, and basically reset the memory settings to the old settings. Nice feature!
System specs:
- OCZ DDR3 PC3-10666 1333MHz Intel Extreme Edition XMP Ready Series 6GB Triple Channel Kit
- Razer Lachesis Mouse
- Samsung 22X SpeedPlus Serial ATA Internal DVD Writer
- EVGA 512-P3-N879-AR GeForce 9800 GTX +
- Western Digital 500GB Caviar"
1,8_10_R3KTGJLDTEWIGV.txt,5.0,Mom proudly displays Dad,"September 8, 2008","Dr. Stool ""Stock Proctologist""",The Classic Cremation Urn. Hand Engraved Solid Brass With Black Lacquer Coat. Includes Velvet Storage & Display Box. (Kitchen),"Mom proudly displays Dad in this urn in her assisted living apartment.
After keeping Dad in a cardboard cylinder in the garage on the workbench near his tools, where he was most at home for a couple of years, Mom had to move to an assisted living facility. Since she talks to him every day, we had to prepare Dad for the move. He wasn't too happy about it, and he was pretty upset that we spent so much money for his new home, especially since the old one was free from the crematorium. He also wasn't too happy about being stuck in the same room with Mom all the time, because now he'd have to listen to her talking all day.
When I told him the urn was pretty soundproof, he said ok. So I poured him in. He just fit, but I spilled a little of him on the workbench.He was ok with that.
I guess we'll get the matching one for Mom when the time comes. Dad said to wait for a good sale, and be sure there's enough room for a phone so she won't nag him all day.
Dad, it's been almost 5 years, and I miss you like it was yesterday. Mom doesn't miss you so much. To her, you're still there."
0,51_15_R342ATCO2KG860.txt,1.0,Sansa m250 Promises but fails to deliver,"June 16, 2008",Hemanth Kumar,SanDisk Sansa m250 2 GB MP3 Player (Black) (Electronics),"I bought it and it worked right for some time. After a couple of hours, it starts making scratchy, distorted sounds in the background of the song really screwing the experience up. Some tracks just carry the noise throughout. This is a prob i've experienced with chinese MP3 CD players but this is a first on memory devices.
I have returned my Purchase and suggest that others try another model of SANSA or go for an ipod shuffle. Saves you the effort of buying, returning and/or following up on the refund."
0,5_17_R1A6U10UV6Z126.txt,4.0,It's The End Of the World As We Know It--Several Times,"April 22, 2010","K. Harris ""Film aficionado""",The Passage (Hardcover),"It has been a while since I've encountered a horror novel of such magnitude and scope, but Justin Cronin's hefty tome ""The Passage"" seems poised to announce itself as the latest true ""horror epic."" It's about time too! Ambitious and thought-provoking, but filled with propulsive action and bloodshed, ""The Passage"" is the thinking person's genre thrill ride. This massive book starts in the near future with a pretty unique combination of vampiric lore meshed with science gone awry. But Cronin, while nailing these explosive first chapters, has much more up his sleeve. The expansive (and sometimes it seems the story will never end) plot resets several times until we have followed the confrontations to their inevitable conclusion many generations later.
The comparisons to Stephen King's ""The Stand"" seem apt and, I believe, will be widespread. And in case anyone has a passing interest on where I fall on ""The Stand,"" I think it's the best book of its type that I've ever read. Although the books are quite different in plotting and structure, thematically they share much. From the veritable destruction of the world as we know it, to the efforts to rebuild some semblance of a new world order, to the ultimate confrontation between good an evil replete with the requisite supernatural underpinnings--both books challenge ordinary citizens to rise to extraordinary levels to champion the human cause. In the right hands, these apocalyptic epics can be unforgettable--and I'll just say that Cronin's hands are quite capable.
Don't misunderstand the King reference, however, ""The Passage"" stands as its own unique portrait of a ravaged future. It's just that there are so few horror novels that set out to accomplish so much in storytelling. Cronin's novel is gutsy, challenging and filled with high level drama of the first order. It's not breezy or light entertainment, however. It's a serious reading commitment for those looking for their gore mixed with a lot of substance. A real change-of-pace and a welcome new addition to the ranks of horror lore, ""The Passage"" has earned the title of ""epic."""
1,41_20_R3ONOXKTFEV2JU.txt,1.0,Be careful what you dream of. It just may come true.,"October 2, 2008",heliacal rising,Discover Penis Enlargement Self-Hypnosis CD (Audio),"I purchased this product in order to spice up my sex life (or 'nasty funtime' as my wife and I call it). Quite frankly this compact disc has ruined my entire life. After letting this CD play overnight, I woke up to the surprise of the friggin century. My nether regions are now nearly the length of a damn football field. Yeah, thanks ALOT! I can barely shoehorn myself into a pair of pants and when I finally do, I walk around with a TENTPOLE bulging out the front. Talk about uncomfortable! I got fired from my job because they claimed I was being ""entirely inappropriate in the workplace."" It's not like I could help it!
On top of that my wife has left me because she's too freaked out to be near me while I'm clothed, much less in the bedroom. Speaking of freaks, I've had to join a Freak Show in a traveling carnival because they're the only people that would hire me now. In fact, we may be coming to a town near you. Keep an eye out for me. They call me the Amazing Gargantuan Penis Man. Can't miss me."
0,29_2_R140EKI6DDIUU5.txt,5.0,Awesome overgrip!,"July 19, 2009",J. Lim,Wilson Pro Overgrip Tennis Racquet Grip (12 Pack) (Sports),"I've used this overgrip for years now, and I refuse to use any other overgrip. I realized that, after shelling out some real money for those dinky 3-packs at Sports Authority or Modell's, I stumbled across the 12-pack offered on Amazon and, well...I got it!
This isn't a real big deal, but I really like the way the individual grips are packaged. They are more folded than rolled, which prevents the overgrip from rolling up by itself after you've unraveled it. Again, NOT a big deal, but an added bonus IMO.
The texture of this grip is just tacky enough where it doesn't interfere with quick grip changes. It is, however, sticky enough to adequately stay in your hand without you having to worry about a slippery handle.
I don't remember if other colors are offered, but to me, WHITE is pretty classic on a tennis racket. Maybe it's because Federer uses it, and I love the guy, but regardless, buy this package of grips and be content!"
0,26_14_R1DT67X3UARSKV.txt,5.0,Quick read but very entertaining,"July 23, 2009",Prism,The Eleventh Victim (Hardcover),"I didn't realize that the author of this book is also the same person that has the television show. I don't regularly watch Nancy Grace on TV but I've caught it a few times when I was channel surfing. Like when I've caught her on TV, I was glued to the book from the very beginning. This book gives plenty of visual details and the writing flows easily. It usually takes me a bit of time to warm up to a book and get to know the characters but this one had me from page one. It is a quick read being only about 350 or so pages so to me it is like a good suspense thriller movie. I am always looking for reading material to keep me on the treadmill and this fit the bill. I liked it!"
0,35_8_R16DNO7RN9UUKR.txt,5.0,Ultimate Survival and Rescue,"November 21, 2009","Michael Devito ""good guy""",Ka-Bar Becker BK3 Tac Tool Fixed Blade Knife (Sports),"Wow this tool is great. If you want a great tool for survival this is it. It is very sturdy and strong. The knife could be a little sharper than what it comes as but it is still sharp enough to cut paper. The razor at the top of the blade is very sharp as well. I bought this tool to be stored in my vehicle, I drive many miles every day and my worse nightmare is to witness a car accident and not be able to help the people involved. This tool is a sharp edge, a serrated edge, a seat belt cutter, a very effective pry bar (its greatest feature) and the right angle at the end of the tool can easily break a window with no problem. The sheath that is comes with is absolutely exquisite, I own many knives and this is the best sheath I have for any knife. Another great benefit to this knife is the fact that the handles can be easily removed for maintenance. You can definitely see that this knife is built to last a lifetime of abuse. I think this knife would be best suited for firefighters and police officers or maybe, like myself, the average joe that needs to be able to help when called upon. Like I said before this tool would be very good for camping and outdoor use, you can chop wood or skin an animal. I think of the lack of a point as a plus because it makes for a stronger tool, there's no tip to break off! Buy it, you will show it off to everyone and they are going to want one too!"
0,18_20_RKRY9SXDPZKPW.txt,5.0,Good quality sound - not annoying!,"February 17, 2008",Kelly Taylor,Baby Einstein Take Along Tunes (Baby Product),"I just bought this to take over for our soon-to-be adopted infant. I was very happy with the small size and weight (perfect for an infant to hold). But most of all, the sound quality is fantastic (and not too loud) - and not electronic sounding at all. And the tunes are all pleasing to the ear and not annoying kid versions. I will like listening to it as much as our son!"
0,37_10_R38QP81Z4HEFAN.txt,5.0,Great for multiple cats!,"April 15, 2010",R. Unterborn,CatGenie 120 Self-Washing Self-Flushing Cat Box (Misc.),"We had the original CatGenie for over a year with 3 cats in the house and loved the lack of cat odors and ease of maintenance. The maximum 4 daily cycles did use up cartridges in about 2 weeks, and we ran out frequently. We also started having to disassemble and clean it more often as time went on,and it finally just stopped working. We got the 120 version, and what an improvement! The cat activation mode really extends cartridge life significantly, and the(4)cats got used to it quickly. I highly recommend this version to anyone with multiple cats. It's a time and money saver."
1,40_9_R3U6TV48RL631Q.txt,5.0,The finest Electronic Yodelling Pickle money can buy!,"December 12, 2007","Roger Barr ""-rog-""",Novelty Yodeling Pickle (Toy),"I've been searching high and low for a quality Electronic Yodelling Pickle for over 20 years now, and this one is by far the greatest one of them all. You won't find a better Electronic Yodelling Pickle on the market! I'm Roger Barr and I approved of this message."
0,39_12_R1NUI5XI7XLBP7.txt,5.0,"Boy, was I pleasently surprised!","April 22, 2009","M. K. Russell ""Techy Guy""",ViewSonic VT2430 24-Inch 1080p LCD HDTV (Electronics),"I began my search for an LCD HDTV/Monitor over a month ago and purchased 4 other similar items before purchasing this ViewSonic VT2430 and returned the previous 4 for poor performance. I was actually looking for a unit which included a DVD player for use in training lectures. But, I couldn't find the right combination so I decided to settle on a unit without the DVD player, since those that are built in are all cheap players. This way, by keeping the TV and the DVD player separate I can always update the player as needed (BlueRay!).
I looked at a LOT of HDTV/Monitors and chose the VT2430 for its native 1920x1080 pixel resolution. This works out perfectly with the 1920x1080i signals coming via my cable. And...the pictures are absolutely stunning! More so than I even expected, even already knowing the quality of Viewsonic monitors. And there are plenty of options for modifying and managing the images from all inputs. One reason for returning a Toshiba unit was that it's native resolution is 1680x1050 pixels, which, when fed a 1920x1080 pixel signal (HDTV) stretches the image vertically...without any way of correcting the distortion. In fact, the manual states that ""image size adjustments are not available with 720i and 1080i signals""! VERY poor planning as most cable signals are either 790i or 1080i.
The PC image obtained with the VT2430 is absolutely awesome. I'm typing this review with this monitor with the resolution set at 1920x1080, a perfect match with my PC. There are at least 10 other resolution settings that work as well - just lower resolution results. Regardless of the resolution sent from my PC, the VT2430 automatically adjusts for the best picture with each setting. Very neat.
The audio was another problem I found with all of the other units I tried. Most of them were either too low in volume or, when the volume was turned up became very distorted. Not so with the VT2430. Plenty of clean sound at all volume settings, including loud enough for filling the rooms where I do my training.
The image I get from my (LG) DVD player, which upgrades to a 1080i output via an HDMI cable, is very good. I also have a BlueRay player which puts out a 1080p signal, which, again, perfectly matches the resolution of the VT2430, for a beautiful picture.
The overall picture of this monitor is far more accurate, clean, and viewable than any of the other monitors I looked at. The dynamic range is very wide, including the darker colors and grays and blacks, not quite up to my 52-in Samsung (Over $2,300!), but closer than any other comparable sized monitor.
Physically, I like the fact that the monitor can be tilted back for watching from higher positions. Also, the flat stand can be quickly removed for transporting in its original box, which I do often when I'm training.
Great monitor. I would recommend it to anyone. I would, however, downgrade its rating by 1/2 point for not having a DVD player. But, that is not what it is! ViewSonic does sell an LCD HDTV/DVD Combo monitor, but it has a lower pixel rate designed more for 720i resolution, which is OK for most uses at this smaller size. But, having been a TV studio tech in charge of adjusting and maintaining studio monitors, I became too picky and always need(!) the best."
0,6_13_R14EPTC010DVQ.txt,5.0,AWESOME!,"December 10, 2007","crown of indica ""buckethead noir""",Zubaz Pants (Apparel),So cool that they're back! I'm going to get a red or black pair--hope they take off and they start making more colors and designs like the old days! Good to see Minnesota boys make it good...AGAIN(my Mom went to school with Dan Stock who co-created them).
0,49_8_R7ME8D4EF5K14.txt,5.0,"Great value, easy way to update dining room","November 22, 2008",Carnival Huckster,Hardware House 544452 24-Inch by 15-Inch Chandelier Brushed Nickel (Tools & Hardware),I bought this chandelier a few months ago for $83.99. What a great value! A note of caution: the instructions were amateurish - I would have appreciated more details since this was my first time installing a chandelier. But a quick search online and I was able to find better instructions. It ended up taking a couple of hours to assemble and install but it was well worth the time. It looks fantastic in my dining room and the price is hard to beat.
1,5_9_RHL5APZ9MEFD2.txt,1.0,"*Extremely* *unimpressive*, especially compared to ANY other option.","May 18, 2010","A_*NIX_Geek ""DethB4DCaf""",Archos 5 500 GB Internet Tablet with Android (Electronics),"If you are looking for a really expensive paperweight, or need to replace the brick in your solid gold commode, the Archos is the device for you. However, if you are looking for any amount of *functionality*, there are volumes of viable choices that cost much less and actually work, such as any Android-based phone.
I have all sorts of Archos accessories that I can use with multiple stereos, televisions and computers and I've invested volumes of time now trying to get *any* combination of functionality that I can't get on something much cheaper -- like my netbook, or even my phone -- with little or no success.
To compare the application library that Archos provides [without using a hack another user has provided to access the Android Library] is like comparing the largest local mega-mall to a ""7-11"" corner store... assuming the corner store went bankrupt several years ago.
Alas, however, the hack only gets you past the software problems, and leaves you with the hardware and the firmware/operating system that Archos provides. The operating system is an Android variant, whose updates have only once removed my access to every other application [out of three total updates] which I applied at the recommendation of the Archos Customer support folks. And the hardware... well... once you get past the non-standard connectors for any of the other Archos accessories that don't connect quite correctly because of all the different variations between different Archos hardware components you can just bet that the documentation won't be able to help you troubleshoot any of the myriad of problems you are going to encounter on an on-going basis.
Fortunately, there is an on-line support forum for the dedicated, but for the *price* you pay, there are *much* better options available. If you are under the impression that the *form factor* will make it special, like I was... well good luck actually getting it to access anything, either on the internal hard drive [think reformatting, several times... maybe it will eventually work] or on your local network [I have no idea how a valid file that is stored on another machine that my Archos CAN see could be ""corrupted"", but I'm going research that the next time I have an hour or three to throw away...] or even from the directly-attached satellite receiver -- the codes provided by the documentation don't work, which I did not find even remotely surprising, but at least there's a trouble-shooting section that doesn't help..."
0,49_14_R1KFJCIHGDGE4W.txt,1.0,From Golden to Hit-or-Miss,"May 9, 2009","Hezaa ""Heather Carlton""","Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job!: Season 2 (DVD)","After thoroughly enjoying Tom Goes to the Major, and the first season of TAEASGJ, I was overjoyed when they got a contract for more seasons. Then I tuned in...
Somehow, the novelty wore off, and the cleverness disappeared. Was it just filler? Were they burnt out and wanting out of their contract? Instead of getting better a lot of bits were so poor in comparison. While watching this season I felt embarrassed for the comedians I normally enjoy.
Looking into the dead eyes of the main stars, it seems like they sold their soul for a longer contract. And when they lost that they also lost their ability to be funny and clever."
1,39_8_R39IMEITQKZXV.txt,5.0,I loved this so much I got one for my 90yr old mother,"October 29, 2009",S. Kelly,AutoExec - WM-01 - Wheelmate Steering Wheel Desk Tray - Gray -,"I loved my Laptop Steering Wheel Desk so much I got one for my 90yr old mother. She is an avid crossword puzzle fan and now she can work on them while she is driving back and forth from bingo at the senior center. One cautionary note be careful of those jerks that stop at yellow lights, my poor mother rear ended one and the airbag drove the desk back into her stomach which ruptured her spleen, well after a short down time I'm glad to say she is back on the road and cranking out those NY Times crosswords once again. Thanks Laptop Steering Wheel Desk you have made my mothers life more complete."
1,29_11_R3RWV5A6K123AK.txt,5.0,I have Herpes!!,"February 29, 2008",Matthew D. Francis,Herpes Plush Doll - (Herpes Simplex Virus 2) (Toy),"Herpes is great to pass around the office and toss to other people. He comes out at the most random times, but its so much fun to play with."
0,10_18_R1KNPEAYC0VT7T.txt,5.0,"The most penetrating, and persuasive, explanation for Bush's failures","January 25, 2008",David Plotz,The Bush Tragedy (Hardcover),"In The Bush Tragedy, Jacob Weisberg does what most of President Bush's critics have never tried to do: Take him seriously. In doing so, Jacob paints a devastating portrait of a man haunted by his father, crippled by a fatal lack of curiosity, and driven by ego to pursue aggressive and ill-considered policies. His Bush is not the cartoon of ignorant evil imagined by many of the president's critics, but a deeply complex man whose intellectual and emotional shortcomings have made him a disastrous president. Jacob, who (full disclosure) is a colleague and friend, has unearthed extraordinary new details about Bush's religious conversion, ancestral history, and family dynamics. My favorite bit--check it out on page 90--is an anecdote about how the president, always willing to make his own reality, decided that a painting of a horse thief was actually a portrait of a brave evangelist minister."
0,10_5_R2I35IUSSIXFPS.txt,4.0,Good one but Speakers?,"April 10, 2010","Jincy John ""SnowMan""",Onkyo TX-NR5007 145 Watts 9.2-Channel AV Surround Home Network Receiver (Black) (Electronics),"This is one of best 9.2 receiver available in the market. But my question is What kind of speakers your people used for this unit, because i called onkyo regarding this issue they said they are not making any speakers for this unit, they have 130W speakers max. ""Onkyo SKS-HT870"" this one is not going to supports this unit, this unit is 145W out put power. So please anybody can tell me what kind of speakrs u r using."
1,26_2_RGSIKWGU5DAAX.txt,1.0,An Ironic Topic,"June 21, 2009",John Byson,Giving: How Each of Us Can Change the World (Hardcover),"Here is a man that could not ""give"" a solid response to save 800,000 Rwandans writing a book about giving.
The irony is nauseating. No one who sits by and watches 800,000 people die and not take action should never be assumed to have the least bit wisdom in the area of giving."
0,42_10_R3R74B0ET6JG8X.txt,5.0,Five Stars From a Life Long Shick User,"June 10, 2010",Boilermate,"Gillette Fusion Proglide Power Razor, 1-count Package (Health and Beauty)","To properly evaluate the new Gillette Fusion ProGlide Power razor, I decided to compare it to the new Schick Hydro 5 and my normal razor, a Schick Quattro Power. All started with a new cartridge and a fresh battery as applicable.
I'll begin by saying that I've been using Schick razors for about 40 years and have not been too impressed by most Gillette razors. In particular, they tended to clog up more and were harder to keep clean. I was expecting to be underwhelmed by the ProGlide as well.
ProGlide vs. Hydro 5
Initial impressions: Packaging: Both come in the standard plastic clamshell, but the Gillette is easier to open. The back is perforated for easy opening, where the Schick is more child-proof and requires a sharp object to open it.
What's included: The Gillette comes with only one cartridge, where the Hydro comes with two.
Holders: the Gillette snaps snugly in to the included plastic holder, while the Schick holder just has a small pin to locate the razor. You could use the Gillette's as a travel holder with no problem.
Guarantee: The Schick comes with a money back guarantee. The Gillette assumes you will like it.
The razors: While the Gillette looks more substantial, both weigh 1.4 oz fully loaded. The Gillette has a single blade trimmer on the back of the cartridge. Flip the razor 180 deg to use it. The Hydro's trimmer is under the lube strip that you flip back to use the trimmer.
Cartridge mounting: The ProGlide cartridge slides on easily and snaps in place. The locator pin also acts as ""suspension"" for the cartridge pivot. The Hydro is a bit more imprecise. You have to line up two small spring loaded fingers on the handle with tabs on the cartridge. Not hard, but not as elegant as the Gillette. The Schick cartridge is smaller than the Gillette...less waste.
On initial ""hefting"" the Gillette felt better, but in use both were comfortable and easy to maneuver.
The Shave Test
All of the above are secondary to the ""Yes, But How Does It Shave"" test. I shaved half of my face with the Gillette and half with the Schick, using Proraso Shaving Cream and a badger bristle brush.
Shave No. 1: (3 Day Growth)
The ProGlide felt smooth in all directions, with and against the grain. No pulling on the neck or under the chin. The trimmer was easy to use.
The Hydro was smooth on the cheeks, but pulled noticeably on the neck, especially against the grain. It left a couple of small ""razor burn"" marks on my neck. To use the trimmer you have to hold the razor with one hand and flip back the cover with the other.
Both razors rinsed clean easily with no clogging.
The Wife Test: Immediately after shaving, Mrs. Boilermate judged the Gillette side marginally smoother, but said that side felt sticky. After my face ""dried"" she still said the Gillette side was smoother.
Shave No. 2: (2 Day Growth)
The Gillette was smooth while the Hydro pulled noticeably on the neck and under the chin. The Gillette side was again judged smoother in the Wife Test.
ProGlide vs Quattro
Shave Nos. 3 and 4 were done with a two and three day growth respectively using the ProGlide and a Schick Power Quattro (with a new cartridge and a fresh battery).
The first thing I noticed is the ProGlide is noticeably quieter, where the Quattro sounds like an electric razor by comparison.
In both tests, the ProGlide performed as before, with no pulling or burning. The Quattro pulled slightly on the neck, but substantially less than the Hydro did.
As before, the Gillette side was judged smoother by Mrs. B., tho by a similarly small margin.
So what's not to like? The price of the cartridges. Schick cartridges are cheaper across the board than Gillette. Power ProGlide carts are about $4.00 apiece, where Quattro Power carts are about $2.50 each.
While the ProGlide gives an excellent shave, doesn't shave enough better to justify switching from the Quattro based on the cost of the cartridges.
Overall, though, the Gillette Fusion ProGlide Power rates five stars. As a life-long Schick user, I was pleasantly (and unexpectantly) surprised by this razor. If you can get past the price of the cartridges, I highly recommend this razor."
0,12_13_R1AQPUQPVODZ77.txt,5.0,The Perfect Action Film!!!,"April 28, 2010",Pumpkin Man,The Losers (DVD),"I saw this a few hours ago with a friend, and personally, I thought it was awesome! It was literally filled to the brim with action, comedy, and special effects. Clay, Roque, Jensen, Pooch, and Cougar are part of an elite United States Special Forces team that are on assignment in Bolivia. When they are betrayed by an enemy named Max, they become fugitives and are believed to be dead. They are forced to team up with a mysterious woman named Aisha who may be able to help them find Max. I understand this movie is based on a comic book by Vertigo, but I never read any, so I couldn't compare it. My favorite character was Chris Evans as Jensen, because he had all the hilarious lines. Another thing, was that this film reminds me a lot of 'The A-Team' If you love action, I highly recommend THE LOSERS!!!"
1,16_16_R1G3PE5U7IONXK.txt,1.0,Terrible Moviegoing Experience (for me),"March 5, 2005","Howard Tuttleman... howardtuttleman@howardtuttle<span class=""invisible""> </span>man.com, Lover of the Arts, Teenage Genious, Master Critic",Finding Nemo (Two-Disc Collector's Edition) (DVD),"I took my neighbor's kid to see this a while back. This movie pretty much ruined my night, and I will tell you how. We went to the theatre on a Friday night while I was baby-sitting (he was like 4 years old at the time by the way). It was a little warm out so I stopped and got us each a Big Gulp. That was my first mistake. This kid drank an entire Big Gulp of Mountain-Dew on the way to the theater (which I later realized contains a very high level of caffiene which he is not allowed to have). He said he didn't have to go to the bathroom before the movie, so I guess you can see where this is going. The theater itself was absolutely freezing, and this kid complained about it the entire time. The movie was a little boring and looked really fake. You could tell it wasn't real and was just a bunch of silly-puppets, but he was only 4 so I guess he bought it (I hope he doesn't really think fish can talk). Bla Bla Bla, the fish gets lost or whatever, lots of talking, then BAM! Shark Attack, and the kid screams and immediately proceeds to dive under the chairs, and come back up with his pants soaking wet. Great, kid. You said you didnt' have to go BEFORE the movie, so now you decide to go DURING the movie. Later on the movie whipped this kid up into a caffiene frenzy, and he takes off his wind-breaker and starts whipping it around his head, and it hit this kid behind us and the zipper tagged him in the ear. The other kid's mom gave me a dirty look, so I tried to explain that my neighbor's kid wasn't very smart because he is only 4, but then I didn't want to start an argument so I held back my tongue. The worst part actually came when the movie was finally over and we went out to eat at McDonalds. I thought it would be cute to order the kid a fish sandwich since we just saw a movie about fishes. He took a couple of bites and asked why it tasted so bad, so I simply told him what it was. So then the kid, no joke, starts throwing-up all of his fries, and what I guess was a whole lot of mountain dew all over the chair and the floor. Then he gets seriously mad at me and does the now-vomit-covered-windbreaker frenzy. He was mad because he thought I was trying to get him to eat one of the fishes in the movie or whatever. He refused to clean it up or eat the rest of his sandwich so I just took him home. We tried to have a discussion about the difference between his sandwich in the movie, but he simply said ""I hate you"" (great argument, kid). In conclusion I would NOT reccomend this movie due to my awful experience with this bratty kid. Also, as I mentioned earlier it looks kind of fake. Later.
howardtuttleman.com"
0,37_15_R285XDEPQH2340.txt,5.0,Esteban's Inspiration is Contagious!,"July 1, 2009","Timothy M. Trogdon ""WyalusingTim""",Esteban Gift of Guitar - Black,"My guitar was beautiful. The laquer finish was flawless. The fret board and bridge are excellent quality and dark. The construction and seems were excellent. The neck and set-up were excellent for a guitar at this price. The tone is very distinctive. You may wish to upgrade the gig bag and strap. Use the new strap attacher that allows the strap to be attached and removed easily for storage in a case. Don't add a button at heel - unbalances guitar and you risk the finish.
The instructional C.D. is fun and inspiring. Esteban really encourages you to aprreciate your instrument and the sound of it. As a bonus, Instructional C.D. 1 includes Esteban in concert - wow! And to top it off, besides the instructional C.D.s and chord chart it includes his Into the Heart C.D. - great for in the car or at home. Esteban is truly a master of the guitar. He teaches with the guitar you are purchasing so you hear how it sounds when tuned and played correctly! I'm ordering the rarer White burst. It is getting harder to find a Gift of Guitar package with the natural spruce top or the white burst - so grab one if you get a chance. At this price there isn't too much that compares for how much you get."
0,4_16_R714KI2PRUQZZ.txt,5.0,I Loved It,"January 1, 2009",bluediamond,1970's Retro Candy Gift Box (Grocery),I received this as a gift and it brought back a lot of memories. I really loved it. I'm not sure why there are some people who are disappointed because some of the candy is still available today. That is very puzzling. The candy names are right in the description. You know before you buy it exactly what is in it.
0,27_2_R37718XE6R8RW5.txt,5.0,does the job extremely well at a cheap price,"May 24, 2006",David Knipp,"Panasonic ER421KC Nose and Ear Hair Trimmer, Wet/Dry, Lighted (Health and Beauty)","no need to buy the more expensive nose/ear trimmers, this one works extremely well and won't blow the bank. $20 for a trimmer that actually works, that's a bargain."
0,9_14_RRSI97OZTY5K7.txt,4.0,A leap in the right direction,"April 3, 2010",Craig Whisenhunt,"Apple iPad MB292LL/A Tablet (16GB, Wifi) (Personal Computers)","I've now spent the better part of a day playing with the new iPad, and while it excels in many things there are still some things anyone considering buying one should probably keep in mind.
First the good sides:
This thing is very fast, opening and closing applications is quick, the screen is incredibly responsive, there is no lag while typing, and the built in Safari browser does a great job of quickly loading even graphic intense pages.
The not so good sides:
As has been thoroughly pointed out, there is not presently much in the way of multitasking within the iPhone OS, but with most expectations pointing towards a summer release of OS 4.0 this might be remedied by mid summer, and almost certainly by a generation 2 release. That said, it should be kept in mind that on such a little screen being able to view multiple applications at once will likely never be something you'll use, and the speed by which you can open and close applications makes this less a headache than you might think. It isn't as fast as moving between open apps, but it isn't a deal breaker by any means. The lack of a camera in this generation is a little surprising, while I've purchased my iPad already, I honestly believe that with the number of competitors expected over the course of 2010 we're probably going to see a generation 2 by Christmas with a camera. It's still an amazing device, but the ability to video chat with it would definitely put it over the top, that's a feature worth waiting for. The lack of Flash support isn't as irritating as I expected it to be, but still something to consider. Many major sites have evolved to html5, or are in the process of doing so. This allows for full viewing by the Safari browser, and where it exists, it works great. The remaining sites still using Flash show up with annoying little boxes looking for a plugin that is likely never going to exist. If you spend a lot of time on flash heavy sites it really probably is worth considering holding out to see how the Slate/Android Tablets look in a few months, but if you're mostly just e-mailing and checking facebook (no Farmville) the lack of Flash support probably won't bother you too much.
As a laptop replacement:
The inclusion of the iWorks utilities gives this device a little bit of a laptop personality. Don't let that persuade you into believing that you don't need a computer though. You might be able to get away with ditching a laptop if all you really do is e-mail or very light word processing, but if you do anything more than that you'll like the freedom and ease a full computer offers for more complex tasks. That said, this device is a tremendous leap towards a future tablet style device that may very well be a replacement for your computer, but for now it is more of a casual use device than something you can really expect to do substantial work with. I have put together a presentation in keynote, which was easy enough to do, but pages isn't as intuitive as I'd have liked, and taking lengthy notes or writing long letters/e-mails/reports will probably make it worth considering buying either the keyboard dock or the wireless bluetooth keyboard.
Battery life seems to live up to the claims, I managed to get about 7 hours before getting the 20% remaining battery life indication, which puts it about right for 10 hours or so of total use. One very important thing to realize about charging the device is that presently (at launch) there is some issues with charging via USB from many computers. The iPad is different than other iPod products, it requires a bit more power to charge up, and unfortunately most USB ports aren't set up to support that higher power draw. This is something that may be fixed in a firmware update to allow for a slower charge, or it may simply be that you'll need to either rely on a new Mac (seems like they can handle the power issue) or rely on the wall charger. Just don't be surprised if you plug it into your computer and it doesn't show that it is charging.
All in all, the iPad is an impressive device that might make for a reasonable replacement of a netbook for casual users. For people who need something to really do a lot of work on, you may find that for the price that a netbook or laptop still offers the better value for your needs. Future generations of this device will probably transition into fitting that market better than this first generation. However, if you're an avid reader, casual gamer, music fan, who doesn't do much more on the web than check a few sites, and e-mail. This thing is definitely worth considering! If you're on the fence, nothing about this product is so incredible as to justify running out and buying one right now, but it is worthy of your consideration if you're thinking you might like a tablet style device. I definitely would encourage you to go play with one at best buy or an apple store to get a feel for it. With a number of competitors due out over the next few months we're likely to see some price movement, or a second generation release, so it may be worth it to wait it out a little while.
One final note, the screen is absolutely gorgeous while it is turned on. It is crisp, bright, and very easy to see from any angle. But when you turn it off, every finger print and swipe is suddenly very visible (while it is on the light is bright enough you don't see them fingerprints). If you are a neat freak, or just hate finger prints on your devices you'll have to invest in some microfiber cloths or get used to using your shirt sleeve!
In conclusion, it's a lot of fun, and I'm not the least bit sorry to have bought one. It does many things, and over the next months will do many more. If you think you want one, go play with one, and if you don't want to wait for a next generation this one is definitely awesome. If you have specific needs that aren't really addressed in this generation or by apple, don't let the hype or peer pressure bully you into this one, there are a number of devices coming with great potential, one of those might be a better fit."
0,14_11_R2P9EFS79FSZCP.txt,3.0,Meh.,"March 5, 2010",Alaina Vance,"Herbal Vaporizer, Black color","I haven't had the chance to use it yet as the whip is broken. I'm hoping I can either get a replacement whip or just get my money back. This is definitely a cheap product, but I knew that when I paid for it. I'll leave another review when I use it, or if I decide to send it back."
0,4_14_R1EJS9Y17TR72G.txt,5.0,"Excellent sound, excellent value","September 4, 2007",J. Bakker,Sony SA-W2500 Performance Line 100 Watt Subwoofer (Electronics),"If you're thinking about buying a subwoofer, it is unlikely that you are a garden variety movie fan or lover of music. People looking for subwoofers usually already have a decent system, but know that there is something lacking.
When it came for me to buy one, three factors weighed in my decision: power, brand, and (of course) price. I've grown up with what I have always believed to be a 'healthy skepticism' when it comes to Sony products. My father had an early generation (1990ish) 5.0 Sony 250 Watt surround amp that performed extremely poorly in just about every function. The only advantage it had over his earlier (1978) Rotel non-tube amp is that it had multiple component inputs. The sound quality of the 50 Watt rated Rotel amp blew the Sony out of the water.
In my search for a subwoofer, I was surprised to find so many good reviews of the Sony line. I was looking for a better name than Sony, but when I compared prices, I was compelled to give the Sony at least a listen. Comparable subs by Velodyne and others were far more expensive (double the cost of the Sony or more). Listening to the Sony at the stereo shop, I must say that I was extremely impressed.
Is the Sony sound as good as the Velodyne or other high end subwoofers that cost 2-3 times as much as the Sony? Of course not, but I quickly discovered that difference in sound quality was not at all closely related to the difference in price.
Keep in mind that this is one of Sony's smallest and lightest subs (only 25 lbs), but once I brought it home and hooked it up to my 6.1 surround system and configured the frequency and volume on the back of the sub, it seamlessly expanded the low end range of my system for music and movie playback. Before I learned (by experimenting with them) how to adjust the levels on the back of the sub, it was quite boomy and there was a bit of a gap between the low end on the six surround speakers and where the sub picked up. When I made the appropriate adjustments, by trial and error, I found that this sub is an extremely versatile fit for my home. My family room is 17'x14', and the back opens into a 10'x15' living room, and the sub easily fills the room. When I crank the system for rock and roll music and movies, the sub has no problem keeping up and is easily capable of playing more loudly than is safe or enjoyable.
Would I have liked a bigger sub made by a better brand? Sure, but this one does the job (and then some) admirably, and for less than half the cost. This sub gets 4 stars as a product, but I gave it 5 because of the extremely good value. If you have a big budget and can afford to spend what it would take to buy a speaker that actually sounds better than one of these Sony subs, go for it, you will not be disappointed. On the other hand, if you would rather spend less on a sub and still get excellent power and sound quality, this is as good as it gets without spending several hundred dollars."
0,34_16_RBWX8CZRNP1LX.txt,5.0,Outstanding!,"July 5, 2010",Richard A. Midthun,PRO-POWER - Portable speakers (Electronics),"I just received two of these. For the money, this is the best technology imaginable. The sound quality is superb for such a small device. The controls and plugs are easily accessible and easy to use. They are very well designed and to my tastes attractive while on display. They fold up into a little cube for packing. I have wanted an easy way to listen to my iPod Nano while doing other things, like working on my bonsai collection in the garden. Earphones are a pain unless I am driving. I tried to stream podcasts from my netbook, but the built in speakers were woefully weak, and the form factor was a pain to have to move around. I'm ordering two more. They are well built and can plug into any ""headphone"" output of desktop, laptop, netbook, iPod. I have one desktop computer without speakers. Now I can have this little unit plugged in for audio and power to the desktop with it perfectly nestled under the LCD, and listen to stuff that I had to use earphones for previously. You see, I already have two sets of speakers connected to other computers in the same work area for high quality sound should I ever need it. Music even sounds great on these little speakers. Get some while you can!"
0,276427_2_R27BG618HK86BT.txt,4.0,"Not really a fan, nor a hater.. but the book makes common sense","March 10, 2010",Robert Kirk,"Glenn Beck's Common Sense: The Case Against an Out-of-Control Government, Inspired by Thomas Paine (Paperback)","I like to think of myself as an independent thinker. This book does a great job of breaking down some pretty big problems with government and society. If you are a parent or younger than 40, I finished the book with a bit of different perspective. I actually am not a fan of Mr. Beck, never seen his show. However he does seem to make some very valid points, especially about the economic troubles facing our nation. So, it's a fast read and if you are open minded, it's interesting and does make common sense."
0,21_11_R1N2NBRAW5FLKK.txt,5.0,"Skeptical, but now a thrilled believer!","August 25, 2009","Deborah A. Brown ""Need-to-exercise girl""",RapidLash - Eye Lash and Brow Renewal Serum (Health and Beauty),"I was skeptical, but a bit desperate. Now in my 50's, I have been noticing a steady decline in the number, the thickness and the length of my eye lashes, both upper and lower. And I did not like it! I did not know such a thing existed until I saw it on an end cap at the grocery store. Pricey....hmmmm....but if it works....would be so worth it.
I apply it in the morning with my AM makeup routine making sure it is dry before I apply any another product on or near my lashes (eyeshadow, mascara, cover-up, etc.) I opted for the morning time, because a night task like that just did not work for me, even though the instructions say to do it at night.
It seems it took the 4 weeks before I started to see changes I could believe were happening. My lashes are now much longer and thicker and hold the curl much better. Its like Rogaine for the eyes!
I guess it is to be a life-long task for me, but the longer lashes sure do add a lot of life to the aging eye! Maybe the price will go down one day!
Oh, I have not noticed any darkening on the skin near the lashes. Occasionally I get some mild burning while it dries. I ""think"" I felt some weird eye aching in the first week, but that has gone away. I was not sure it was from the ""medicine"", but chose to live with it!"
0,50_18_RWPU0UFXH7Y7M.txt,5.0,Its great,"June 24, 2010",Richard Buncamper,Paper Tearing Rulers 12: Deckle Edge (Kitchen),"This is a great tool. Simple to use, has two sides, one fine, and the other larger teeth. Its metal and a bright color so not easy to lose or break. It gives my watercolor paper the look of deckled edges on all four sides which works for me in framing my work and giving it that professional look."
0,50_17_R16TKI7D69EHVP.txt,2.0,'Hip Hop' -- was said how many million times?,"April 21, 2005","Yogini ""Yogini the Signature Artist""",Brown Sugar (DVD),"I think 'Brown Sugar' is a film that had a lot of potential with all the characterizations in it but failed to deliver as a blockbuster. For example, the movie tries (way too hard) to take you ""back in the day"" with the birth of Hip Hop. That is fine but for the one millionth and one time: How many times will Sanaa or Taye Diggs say 'Hip Hop'? We get the point. The soundtrack could have been more documentary with Hip Hop/ Neo-Soul music from the 1980s to 2000s.
Another the thing that I could not stand is the illecit love affair between Sanaa (Sydney) & Taye Diggs (Dre) characters, after Dre got MARRIED. It would have been nice to see them turn their friendship into a more than plutonic level, even after he proposed to Nicole Ari Parker's character. Afterall, she wasn't really in love with him in the first place, and he had made a rush of judgement. But sadly, he gets married and then Taye Diggs falls in love with his best friend. What about his wife?
Finally, it would have been nice to see the Hip Hop Industry's B-Side present challenges that challenged their friendship. It was like a smooth ride love story with a twist of adultery, and the ending was too obvious. With a good romance, who cares about an obvious ending but at least give me some plots and intrigue and a reason to watch the film several more times. The ending made me shake my head! And with all the potential, this film did not deliver mainly because of adulterous themes and an annoying focus on 'Hip Hop'."
0,276425_10_RXNEX0ESZDOA5.txt,4.0,"great scanner, especially for the price","December 22, 2005",Ann Lewis,Canon CanoScan LiDE 25 Color Image Scanner (0307B001) (Electronics),"I bought this scanner to scan in about 150 old black and white family photos, and they all came out very nicely. I scanned only a handful of color pictures, and they were fine as well.
Some experiences I had using the scanner:
- smaller pictures end up getting a better final resolution
- the quality is great for pictures, but only average for text; for example newspaper articles don't scan well enough to allow you to read smaller text
- I was able to scan aout 30 pictures in an hour
- scanning multiple photos is usually easy: you don't have to crop a big image into the individual photos because the scanning software figures out the picture boundaries. However, occasionally the picture boundary detection stuff messes up and the scanner detects 1 fewer picture than was in the scanner, forcing you to rescan
For some old polaroids, the scanned picture was clearer and brighter than the polaroid. it brought out the picture in
an amazing way."
0,44_14_R31X1I0PDEY89N.txt,5.0,The Obama Diaries Exposes the Emperor Without Clothes,"July 14, 2010",Robert Stefanovich,The Obama Diaries (Hardcover),"No, doubt the far left will be outraged over Laura Ingraham's ""The Obama Diaries."" I think Laura Ingraham has brilliantly exposed the Obama Regime's hypocrisy of change you can believe in. The Diaries are done in the tradition of Alice in Wonderland. You know Ms. Ingraham has hit a nerve when the lame stream media i.e. MSNBS, ABC, CBS, NBC, and CNN are outraged by the Diaries. Laura Ingraham is right on in demonstrating the total disconnect between the American People and the alternate Obama Universe of trashing are traditional values, and dividing our Nation on racial grounds and class warfare. I am sure that Obama Diaries will be a best seller, to the dismay of Ms. Ingraham's Critics. Ms. Ingraham Critics should remember the more they condemn the Obama Diaries the more books will be sold. I am sure Ms. Ingraham is laughing as she goes to the bank. Job, well done Laura."
0,3_3_R1OF655GH07PBZ.txt,5.0,Guilty Pleasures -- You MUST read this book...,"June 30, 2000",J. Freedman,Guilty Pleasures (Anita Blake Vampire Hunter) (Mass Market Paperback),"The Anita Blake series -- I cannot express enough how MUCH you need it read them if you haven't already. Let me tell you the reasons why. One, the main character, Anita is tough and modern, and she could beat the socks off of the biggest bodyguard out there at only 5'4 (with the help of some uzis, sawed off shotguns, and her precious firestar.) Two, the best contemporary science-fiction/fantasy books you'll ever find. Guns, vampires, werewolves, and necromancers are just a walk in the park. Three, (and I feel MOST important), might I mention that taking one look at ANY of the male characters in this book is enough to make you stop, drool, and forget your own name? How about that delectable French fanged popsicle with the tight leather pants, Jean-Claude? (You can bite ME anytime, JC!) Ahem. In any case, I recommend these books to any sane SF/Fantasy book lover out there, because I'm afraid dissapointment is not an option. I am 99.9% sure you will fall in hopeless love with these books after reading them, so get a head start, eh? Guilty Pleasures is the first book in (so far) a series of nine. Read away, m'friends..."
0,24_8_R3A7MVNXDTVYWI.txt,4.0,Scissor Set,"March 7, 2009",kimberly a burke,Melissa & Doug Educational Toy ChildSafe Scissor Set (Toy),My daughter is only 2 yrs old and they are a perfect fit for her. We are still working on the mechanics of cutting but they are really a safe and sturdy set to use. We absolutely love all of the Melissa & Doug products that we have purchased
0,17_15_R24RQDZ3MKHX7I.txt,5.0,AWESOME if you want to be FIT TO STRIP!,"December 16, 2004",Gina Bug,Carmen Electra's Advanced Aerobic Striptease (DVD),"I've had these dvds for about a six months now and am very happy with the purchase. My favorite out of the enire collection is definately DVD #2, Fit to Strip. Carmen and her trainer take you through a total body workout that is super easy to customize for your own time limits or fitness level. The segment menu makes it a breeze to navigate the DVD and choose to do one or all of the programs available. You can sweat through an hour long workout or spot tone as you please. I'm even impressed by the option to choose your own background music for each routine! I recommend starting out with the basic cardio and floor work routines, then working your way up to the entire DVD. That's how I approached it and am very happy with the results I've seen.
I certainly recommend purchasing the entire set of Aerobic Striptease DVDS. However, if budgeting is a concern, the Fit to Strip DVD is well worth the money spent on it!"
1,4_13_RETS8UQ5PLPFK.txt,1.0,Why did it have to be blue?,"June 28, 2008",Harmless Gryphon,Denon AKDL1 Dedicated Link Cable (Electronics),"I knew my day was going to improve when the truck pulled up at my home with this cable deep within. No ordinary truck, this one was Holy White, and the gold Delivery logo sparkled like a thousand suns reflected through shards of the purest ice formed with unadulterated water collected at the beginning of the universe. The driver, clad in a robe colored the softest of white, floated towards me on the cool fog of a hundred fire extinguishers. He smiled benevolently, like a father looking down upon his only child, and handed me a package wrapped in gold beaten thin to the point where you could see through it. I didn't have to sign, because the driver could see within my heart, and knew that I was pure. Upon opening the package, an angelic choir started to sing, and reached a crescendo as I laid this cable on my stereo system. Instantly, my antiquated equipment transformed into components made from the clearest diamond-semiconductor. The cable knew where to go, and hooked itself into the correct ports without help from me - all the while, the choir sang praises to the almighty digital god. With trepidation, I pushed ""play,"" and was instantly enveloped in a sound that echoed the creation of all matter, a sound that vibrated every cell in my body to perfection. I was instantly taken to the next plane, where I saw the all-father. I knew with my entire soul, that all was good in the world.
But then I realized the cable was blue, so I only gave it one star. I hate blue."
1,35_12_R2BHAO9XCM3FNL.txt,1.0,I wished for spontaneous book combustion!,"February 27, 2007","Bookish-Angel ""Bookish-Angel""",A Confederacy of Dunces (Hardcover),"What this book lacked in humor, it made up for in absurdity and tedium. With a motley assortment of irreedemable losers and a poorly constructed and boring plot, the reading of this book is only slightly more pleasurable than being poked in the eye with a sharp stick."
0,49_3_R1XKH5SNVVWKMO.txt,5.0,Black Dragon T-shirt,"August 14, 2007",S. Denbow,Black Dragon T-Shirt 100% Cotton Short Sleeve Shirt Pre-Shrunk (Apparel),"This is an awsome T-shirt, my son loves it!! He loves dragons, drawing them, reading about them etc. So when we saw this dragon shirt we had to get it. This seller is a very good seller. Shipping was only 3 working days with the weekend in between them. It came fast! Will buy from this seller again."
0,26_17_R2U5I4272UGH23.txt,5.0,Great sunglasses,"May 25, 2010",Eric Keller,Oakley Men's Hijinx Polarized Sunglasses (Apparel),"I have owned this pair of Oakleys for over a year (probably a record for me). I love the look, and the polarized lenses are stellar for optical clarity. Highly recommended."
1,48_9_R2W9YE93X1C7F0.txt,5.0,Terrifyingly effective,"November 26, 2009",D. Bright,Zan Headgear Full Face Neoprene Mask Skull Face Black/White One Size Fits All OSFA,This is a great mask to strike fear into those around you - an essentiality for the every day rapist or mugger
1,44_20_R2GNWDAB5ZQ960.txt,1.0,I object!,"September 4, 2009","Chris Gladis ""Chris""",How to Defend Yourself Against Alien Abduction (Paperback),"As a Grey, I found this book to be entirely slanderous of me and my people and our mission on Earth. We are not here to ""abduct"" you, perform horrible experiments and make you doubt the reality of your own petty, wormlike existences. We are here as mere researchers, trying to discover what it is about humanity that makes you so... special. If the advice in this book were to be taken, why, our research would come to a complete standstill! Without subjects to study, how can we know more about you and your inconsequential lives? We are on your planet for entirely peaceful reasons, and not - I repeat NOT - here to steal your genetic material to build an invincible army to utterly annihilate those crustaceous scum on Alpha Centauri.
What's more, it would completely mess up the fourth season of ""Who Wants to Be an Earthling,"" and you really don't want to screw with the networks like that.
Don't buy this book! Think about the bigger picture!"
0,51_16_RYM3UX8TCB0JQ.txt,5.0,GREAT MAGAZINE!!,"February 5, 2003",Mac,Sports Illustrated Kids (1-year) (Magazine),"This is a GREAT MAGAZINE for kids of all ages!! It has trivia for prizes, Video Game and Sports Gear Reviews by kids, a lot of differnt write ups on great Sports Stars like Tiger Woods, Lisa Leslie, Dale Earnardt Jr. and lots more that kids like! I'm starting my 2nd Year of the magazine! 5 STARS!! GREAT MAGAZINE!!"
0,47_1_R3JG31KC7EBM5M.txt,5.0,I love this Dremel !!!,"April 22, 2004","Nicholas Cherney ""Nick Cherney""",Dremel 8000-03 10.8-Volt Lithium Ion Cordless Rotary Tool (Tools & Hardware),"Mine is utilized for robotics projects--it finds a lot of uses with metal. I also bought the press accessory with it. This little accessory helps me make straight cuts and drill holes. I'm telling you, I use this thing constantly and it works like a champ! It is powerful enough for me to cut all my brass and aluminum with the precision of that of a doctor. For as handy as this tool is--I'd pay twice as much to get one if need be. I've had mine for 5 months too. One HUGE word of advice. WEAR SAFETY GOGGLES! I know this may sound lame, but it saved my @ss!!! When cutting some tubing, my disk exploded at full RPM's and the shrapnel hit me in the goggles. (Of course I had my fat head over top of it while I was cutting) Just be careful. The tool is A+, but the little thing could be dangerous if you slack on the safety."
0,37_19_R14J3QF1BOUEAP.txt,5.0,Finally!!,"April 23, 2009",Zeugma,"EatSmart™ Precision Digital Bathroom Scale w/ Extra Large Backlit 3.5"" Display and ""Step-On"" Technology (Health and Beauty)","I am SO happy to finally have a bathroom scale that WORKS! My old Taylor scale was just crap. Seriously. I lost so much motivation because of that thing, it would give me different weights anywhere within a 5-pound ""range"" every time I stepped on it, so I never had any idea what I actually weighed, or whether or not my hard work was paying off. Drove me nuts!
Because of that, I put my new EatSmart scale through a lot of ""tests"" when I got it today. I stepped on it 5 times in a row, alternating between it and the old Taylor scale each time. The old scale gave me 5 completely different numbers, as usual, but the EatSmart stayed the same each time! I even tried putting the laundry basket on it in between weighs, to make sure it wasn't just ""remembering"" the last number. Nope! So then I tried drinking a big glass of water, and sure enough, the EatSmart registered a .6 pound increase. Fantastic! I'm so pleased with the consistency and accuracy of this scale. I'm feeling 100x more energized and motivated than I was yesterday, because I know now I'll be able to see the REAL results of my actions, good or otherwise. :)"
1,6_19_R1B4TXROUXHX8J.txt,1.0,Has a worse sci-fi movie EVER been made?,"December 31, 1999",A Customer,Species (DVD),"Ben Kingsley, you really must have needed the money. Natasha Hentsridge was cast solely for that gorgeous body of hers; the producers knew that they had a ridiculously bad film on their hands and had to give the target audience some reason not to complain. But complain I will, because I want something resembling a real plot in my sci-fi; I want stimulation for more than just my groin; I want my sense of plausibility to be stretched, not tossed aside. This film is a mish-mash of retread effects, no thrills whatsoever and way too many, ""Oh, we just missed her again by seconds, so let's chase her some more!"" Wretched, simply wretched. Species, since it's release, has been the movie by which I judge all others - for awfulness. Whenever I see a truly terrible sci-fi movie, the first thought that comes to mind is, ""Well, it was better than Species."""
1,19_10_R1Q924UQ808WDI.txt,5.0,"I aint no werewolf, but I do ware wolf","May 21, 2009",SAB0TAGE,Wolf Flag T-shirt 100% Cotton ADULTS Short Sleeve Shirt (Apparel),"These colors don't run, but the wolves do, fast. For your best chance of survival, hold very still and avoid eye contact. I got this shirt because it is a smokey blue. (the only blue I'll ware) The graphics were just a bonus. But more and more I've grown to love these guys. See, I think the wolf should replace the bald eagle as our mascot because the wolf is only found in the United States, and they're bad. The bals-eagle, however, has been extinct for years and when they were alive, they were everywhere."
0,33_17_R2R6DFAJZW1O0M.txt,5.0,The upgrades are worth it,"January 31, 2010",J. Chan,HP Mini 311-1025NR 11.6-Inch Black Netbook - Up to 6.25 Hours of Battery Life (Windows 7 Home Premium) (Personal Computers),"We bought this to replace an early-model netbook and are amazed at the improvements newer models have applied. We carefully compared several models, including other stock models from HP sold by Amazon, and determined this one was the best bang for the buck.
My wife and I are authors and primarily use this for word processing, but also use it for in-bed media (Hulu/Netflix) and gaming (old school games with minimal requirements). The keyboard size was an initial concern for us, because we never fully adapted to the really small keys of our previous netbook, but upon receiving the unit, we had no problems adapting to the keys in any way.
The screen is very bright by default and we have not had the glare or underlit problems we have had on other screens. We have successfully used the HDMI connector on several different TVs without any issues. The speakers can get decent volume, but the quality isn't too great. Most of our media runs just fine. Flash Player 10.1 is supposed to increase the speed of video playback of certain types, but we didn't experience a significant gain, but it could be user error/browser choice/etc. Netflix runs just fine and Hulu runs perfectly in its normal size, but full screen it chugs.
I'm not thrilled with the power adapter plugging into the left side of the machine (prefer it in the back), but with the long battery life with minimal performance degradation, I just leave it out, even if a plug is nearby. My wife, however, is just fine with its placement, mostly the aesthetics of having the sleek back.
Speaking of the aesthetics, the shell casing is very attractive and does not collect as many smudges/fingerprints as we would have thought. The unit is very light with enough stability that we don't worry about crushing the screen against the keys if we squeeze too hard. We're able to tote it around the house and on quick trips without feeling any burden physically or time-wise.
Some of these pros are relevant to netbooks as a whole, but this particular build with a REAL version of Windows 7, extra RAM, and upgraded hard drive make it a winner. The processor is the lesser of the two major Atoms, but I doubt anybody would be able to realistically discern a difference even in a side-by-side test. We love it!"
0,36_6_R3P9XW7Y16P7AD.txt,5.0,Good purchase,"September 12, 2009",Thane,Rebel Flag Pewter Belt Buckle (Apparel),Very pleased with the product and its quality. I would recommend this buckle any day.
0,276423_5_RVX9KXA2FZEM5.txt,3.0,A Review of the BOOK not the MAN,"June 17, 2010","Kim Albert ""BigMomma""",The Overton Window (Hardcover),"I am writing this review, because every review on here seems to be about the author and his biases and not about the BOOK itself. Let me first say that I am an avid reader. I read everything from Stephenie Meyer to Bertrand Russell, Chuck Palahniuk to Freakonomics. I read 3-5 books per week, fiction and non-fiction alike.
I knew very little about Glenn Beck before I purchased this book. Of course I had heard his name, and that he was a radio personality, but that's about it. I read a little about him before beginning the book, learning that he is a ""conservative libertarian."" With that being said, it didn't really matter to me, a good book is a good book, no matter the political implications or insinuations.
About the book: The plot was weak, it could have used a lot less quoting and preaching and a lot more character development and background. I found myself being thrown into a whole lot of speeches and little narrative or story development.
The original character descriptions were good, but I found myself wanting to know more about them, who they were really, where they came from, and what they were thinking. The protagonist of this story was the only character that was explored deeper than a name, physical description, and a little about their backgrounds. I wanted to know more about them ESPECIALLY what they were thinking.
The writing was a little below average. Mr. Beck just isn't that good of a story teller, I found myself drifting through the quotes and preaching, wanting them to be over so the story could continue...which it never really did. There was never a climax in the story, and the ending left a lot to be desired.
You would have expected to learn a lot more of the elder Mr. Gardner(the main character's father) before the last chapter. Additionally, I felt that it ended without anything being solved. It just kind of ended in what I would think of as the middle of the story.
All in all this was not worth the day and a half I put into reading it, and I suggest if Mr. Beck wants to share his political ideology, he stick to non-fiction. I would be happy to read it, and would probably enjoy it.
Why write a fiction book, when really all you want to do is write a book of facts regarding the corruption of our country? That's what we really need to hear and read...hiding all of that in the guise of a fiction story(dubbed a thriller, no less) is disappointing to those of us who want to read a good novel.
***NOTE: For all of you who are going to call me a biased liberal hippie, I am a former employee and lifetime member of the National Rifle Association(thanks to Mr. Beck for the kudos in the book), and a member of the libertarian party."
1,51_5_R3V2K3R4BCRJ75.txt,1.0,Such a Shame...,"June 24, 2010",Eileen K. Balesteri,Percy Jackson & The Olympians: The Lightning Thief (DVD),"My son talked me into reading these books with him, and we loved them.
When we went to see the new Harry Potter movie, scenes for it came on during the trailers.
He recognized the story the second the preview started. He was thrilled, and so was I. What potential this unique and fun series had for a movie--or movies...I mean, they advertised that it was being brought to us by the people who make the Harry Potter movies.
The Potter movies stay so true to the book--taking care to absolutely keep things in the screenplay that are necessary to the plot line.
I wish I could say the same for this movie.
When it finally came out, we went to a movie theater in NJ that was right across the river from NYC.
We could see the Empire State building from the theater parking lot, and took it as a sign that the movie was going to rock. We were so psyched to see it.
When we left the theater, I thought my son was going to cry, and I couldn't un-scrunch my eyebrows--huh?? I felt so bad for him, for me, for Rick Riordan...
We understand that it's impossible to make a movie exactly like a book-- but this was a travesty.
Every important aspect of the story was by-passed for the sake of special effects.
It's almost as if the screenwriter had been given a verbal summary of what the book was about, and took it from there. So many important plot points were left out or down right changed to the point that it would be impossible to even think about a sequel.
It's such a shame. These stories have the ""book made to movie"" potential of the Potter series, or dare I say, a kids ""Lord of the Rings"".
If someone with vision had just read the books, the money used to make it could have been so much better spent.
It could have been knocked out of the park, but, alas, the ball was dropped and we all lost."
0,12_8_R1YN65MVJFQ5NY.txt,5.0,Fantastic,"February 22, 2009",S. Johnson,"Epson MovieMate 72 High-Definition Projector, DVD and music player combo (V11H257220) (Electronics)","We love the MovieMate72, we use it on the patio showing on a 120"" manual pull down Elite Projection Screen (16:9), on the light brown wall in our bedroom and on the white wall in the garage where our workout equipment is located. We have teamed it up with a $118.00 RF-Link AVS-5811 5.8GHz Audio and Video Transmission System with IR Repeater directly to the Direct TV so not only can we watch movies in all these locations but also TV and with the IR Repeater change the channels on the Direct TV from those locations."
0,11_2_R25N65BFSL0MAI.txt,5.0,A blast from the first track to the last!,"May 22, 2010",Matt O,Brothers (Amazon MP3 Exclusive Version) [+digital booklet] (MP3 Download),"I'm a bit new to the Keys. My first record of theirs was Attack and Release. With that record, it only took me two minutes into the first track ""All You Ever Wanted"" to know that the Keys were my new favorite band. Likewise, with Brothers- from the first seconds of the first track ""Everlasting Light"" - I knew I was gonna love this record. And having owned it now for only about two days, it's been in steady, constant rotation. It's a total classic. Blues, rock, soul, simmer, r&b, roadhouse shakers... man... the Keys just melt it all down into an amazing musical gumbo. Standouts for me are Sinister Kid, Tighten Up, Next Girl, The Go-Getter, She's Long Gone, Ten Cent Pistol, and of course their awesome cover of Isaac Hayes Never Gonna Give You Up. This whole album is deeeep. Buy it ya'll."
0,4_9_R1LAELKUL9K9QD.txt,5.0,"Quiet, cool and unobtrusive",22 Nov 2009,A. Hopkinson,Western Digital Elements 1TB USB 2.0 Desktop External Hard Drive - Black (Electronics),"I bought this hard disk primarily for use with Apple Time Machine from two Mac laptops - a Macbook and a Macbook Pro. The drive comes formatted for Windows but a reformat only took a few seconds. Usable space on the drive is 931.5GB - I have the drive partitioned, 600GB for Time Machine and 330GB for general usage.
The drive is very smart, with a textured top and glossy sides and has rubber feet. Both connectors (power and usb) are at the back, next to a white activity light, so there's nothing flashing at the front. The power lead is fairly compact (compared to my Lacie FA Porsche drive), with the transformer built in to the plug rather than halfway along the lead. Even the USB cable is well designed, with moulded easy-grip ends.
The drive is almost completely silent and runs very cool despite having no fan. I've probably moved about 1TB on and off it over the last 24 hours and it's never even been warm. Transfer speeds seem to be around 1GB/minute for both large files (a 200GB SuperDuper sparseimage) and many small files (my 50GB iTunes library), which is about standard for a USB hard disk as far as other reviews say. This equates to about 130Mb/s - USB is apparently capable of 480Mb/s, but I've never seen those speeds.
The drive has a two year warranty in the UK/Europe, which I think is the same as other drives in the WD range (although the My Book Elite has 3 years).
All in, for a budget external drive this is a great buy with solid build and performance to match any decent USB drive."
1,37_15_RNWJYJMJXTXO2.txt,1.0,AWFUL,"December 13, 2009",Joshua Keith Hulgan,Esteban Gift of Guitar - Black,"Timothy who reviewed this above must have been paid off lol b/c this is without a doubt the worst product i've laid my eyes or fingers on in 10 years of playing guitar. What's wrong with it? You name it.
Its slapped together with glue spots all over it.
The fretboard feels really strange and rough, with a super high action.
It will NOT stay in tune. I actually prayed for it to stay in tune and I don't do that often. It actually smells funny, it smells funny!
Take your money and burn it, you would actually have more fun doing that than playing this god forsaken thing."
1,25_5_R27YOGCKS5U023.txt,1.0,You'd have to be an idiot.,"February 26, 2010",Terry King,Morgan Design - 1 oz .999+ Fine Silver Bar,"Is there really anyone in the world dumb enough to pay this much for an ounce of silver bullion? If so, I have a really beautiful antique bridge in New York I'll sell cheap."
0,2_11_R2K9QKW4WMDL4Y.txt,3.0,Worked great for us for a couple years,"March 14, 2010",Paul Stowers,"Waring Pro WMK300 Belgian Waffle Maker, Brushed Stainless (Kitchen)","We got this as a gift a few years ago and have not used it to often and usually for about four waffles each time we used it. So I think that is why it worked for as long as it did. We had the fuse burn out on us this weekend. I looked at other reviews and took the maker apart to maybe fix it on my own. Once I looked inside and found the fuse I didn't feel comfortable that my fix would be protected from the heat so I decided to trash it. We are going to look for one that takes up less space and will last 10 or so years, which I think these should. Frustrating though, I think it would be an easy design update to make the fuse a pop in and out type. That would be easy to change out and make this last the time it should."
0,46_6_RVT096AILVPPW.txt,4.0,A Certain Understanding,"May 16, 2010",Kelli M. Tomko,Tiger: The Real Story (Hardcover),"Though I do not follow golf, it was hard not pay attention to Tiger. Naturally, I was left shaking my head with everyone else, wondering what drove someone so disciplined to make such a mess of his life. Steve Helling's book answers some of those questions, though it would be impossible to answer all of them. It is not a book of sensationalism or speculation, but well-written journalism that give us an inside look at both the life and the downfall of a paragon who never asked to be placed on the pedestal on which the world displayed him.
This book follows the clues that tell us some of what makes Tiger Woods who he is, starting with the breadcrumbs that were dropped long before his birth. While a bemused public looked on as a toddler putted against Bob Hope, not one of them could have predicted that that same child would grow to be not only the world's greatest golfer, but also a hero and role model with such a carefully constructed persona that even his handlers would forget that a real person lay behind the smoke and mirrors. Tiger Woods was not a god, but an unforgiving public would punish him for not acting like one.
While he is responsible for his mistakes, one can't help but wonder who Tiger would have been had he been allowed to be Tiger Woods rather than a meticulously crafted ideal."
1,15_1_R9QZGK0OY6I9B.txt,1.0,Any idiot outside of NYC knows the liberals run the media,"August 17, 2003",A Customer,What Liberal Media?: The Truth About Bias and the News (Hardcover),"Anybody who is familiar with Eric Alterman's conservative bashing and rantings from ""The Nation"" and ""Altercation"" on MSNBC.COM will be instantly familiar with this book. Eric's leanings are so far to the left that he makes Bill and Hillary Clinton look conservative. Most of Eric's writings are obviously filled with hate for George W. Bush. If the President said the sky was blue, Eric's column in ""The Nation"" or ""Altercation"" on MSNBC.com would say the sky was Red. Eric's rantings are so skewed to the left, that it's easy to see that his book is fired by his hatred for anything conservative and how he twists the facts to justify his point. Anybody who watches CNN, MSNBC, or any the major network broadcasts can obviously tell that the Liberals are in control of the networks and their broadcast agenda. Fox News is the only network that offers an honest and fair presentation of the news without the obvious liberal bias of the other media news shows. Also Eric forgets to tell us that Liberals are in control of most major newspapers in the United STates. It's obvious to anyone who reads a newspaper in the United States. Also MSNBC.com has a leftist bias. Eric Alterman's ""Altercation"" and Jill Nelson's op-ed pieces on MSNBC.com show just how liberal msnbc.com is in it's news reporting. Eric has no regard for the United States. He's typical of the liberals in Ann Coulter's book ""Treason"" that wish to destroy the United States from within. Eric has no regard for United States law unless it can be twisted to serve his politically correct and leftist anti-american agenda. Eric thinks he knows more about Constitutional law than the Supreme Court when he says that the Supreme Court was wrong and George W. Bush is the Commander in Theif. Eric forgets to tell us that the US Supreme Court stepped in to stop the Democratic controlled Florida Supreme Court from rewriting election law after the fact of the election to help Al Gore steal the election from George W. Bush. The Democratic controlled Florida Supreme court was guilty of changing the rules after the election has occured which violates Federal Election Law and the US Constitution. Eric also conveniently forgets to tell us that the President is determined by the electoral college and not the popular vote. It's in the constitution, yet he conveniently overlooks things that disagree with his leftist liberal and anti-american viewpoints. Eric Alterman's documentation standards practice the normal liberal method of cross polination. Cross pollination is when one liberal writes an article or book with no factual backing and then another liberal author references the book to back up his non-truthful claims. Very little of Eric's documenation for his book comes from the mainstream media or verifiable sources. Most of his documentation comes from unverifiable questionable sources in the liberal community. The footnotes and endnotes look real impressive if you don't question their validity or their sources. Most of his footnotes and endnotes come from nonverifable sources and have very little factual support behind them. Anybody who wasted their money on Eric's rantings deserves their money back."
0,46_1_R1PNT1AV9UK4MI.txt,5.0,It's a Sin to Kill a Mockingbird...,"April 5, 2007","Bookratt ""bookratt""",To Kill a Mockingbird (slipcased edition) (Hardcover),"My mother bequeathed her 1962 college edition hardcover to me in 1988, four years after I finished high school. It would be four more years before I myself went away to school, though I knew the story nearly by heart by then.
I reread Mockingbird every year at Eastertime, though I am not particularly religious, nor do I mark this time in any other particularly hopeful way. Many true bibliophiles I know still talk about this book and the way it changed them forever.
It deserves better than to be assigned reading to captive 6th and 10th graders. They read it then because they have to, not because some kind librarian or insightful teacher, or intuitive parent, sends it their way, like a lucky charm.
I am not a Southerner and unless you can call a Western New York born mother and an Owensboro, Kentucky bred father any sort of meaningful Southern influence in my life, I do not know why this story fits my life so well. It filled a need I never even knew was there until I closed its covers on first reading it.
I am a fan of both the writing and its message, its dual edged sword of hope and sorrow, the tragicomic aspect of its mood and setting.
I wanted to be Scout as a tomboy girl and when grown, to be Atticus; my cats have borne those monikers well.
I only wish my husband had not told me I could not name my own son after my hero.
A rare case where the movie and its inspiration are as beloved as its author, To Kill a Mockingbird, N words and all, needs to be read more---and not just as some lame excuse for a paper writing exercise. Scout, Jem and Dill come alive in these pages. They have meaning in their world and in this one.
The dialogue, minus a few colloquiallisms, is readable and real. You will laugh out loud at times when Scout makes her mind known to you.
You'll wish Atticus was a real man. Maybe you'll even feel a little guilty about wanting him to replace your father in real life.
And Tom Robinson? He'll break your heart. He should.
I was once told my Coleman family had some relation to Harper Lee's father's family and, if that bit of fiction has even the remotest grain of truth to it, I am even happier now than I was just having imagined it.
PLEASE READ THIS BOOK."
1,276425_7_R3FE4XDZAXDT31.txt,1.0,Can use this phone!,"June 11, 2010","Sober Sue ""Sober sue""",HTC DROID INCREDIBLE Android Phone (Verizon Wireless) (Wireless Phone),"We purchased two droids with high hopes. My husband loves his. I do not. After going back everyday for a week to Verizon they are telling me that my finger tempature is to high and doesn't work well with the touchscreen pad. Funny I'm typing this on my new IPad. I'm taking back my droid and I've already gone back to my Blackberry. Bummer. Very disappointed
Sad in LA"
1,40_8_R3OM4498WOIZ93.txt,1.0,Its another Bill Vista Gates,"April 13, 2010","Djengiz Khan ""Pingmaster""",Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium (DVD-ROM),"The secret to become rich is easy, Make a none working(windows) product which is none existent(virtual)and make
all who use it to pay multiple times for the same product(dont provide bootdiscs,instead embedded chips). O I allmost forgot the most important thing you need immunity from the government(s), in order to continue to billionaire status. Bill did it over and over again and here it is again. Tatataaaaa Vista 7, oops sorry Windows 7. To be continued with Window 8 next year spring hahaha.."
1,276423_2_R1PAAQN1HJKVQM.txt,5.0,"That's an awfully nice iPhone youse got, sure would be a shame fer sumpin ta happin to it, like","May 12, 2010","G. O. Laun ""Ninjaneer""","OtterBox Impact Case for iPhone 3G, 3GS (Black) (Wireless Phone Accessory)","'Cause ya know: dose tings fall to da ground right often. Sumtimes widdout no warnin at all. An yours is such a pristine an bootiful egsample of da iPhone dat maybe youse should tink about...protectin it. Now i'm not sayin dat sometin is GONNA happen to it: jus' dat sumtin MIGHT happen...axe-i-dental like, see? Fallin out da pocket...slippin from da hand...tossin it to yer buddah-finga'd buddy. Stuff happens. Oh, geez: I'm sorry about yer glass, dere, buddy! I'm so clumsy dese days!
Now DIS ting, dis OtterBox: it's da BOMB, man! See, youse puts it in da cradle BACKwards, so's da face don't get all scratched by da pointy corners and junk in da offices. After a few brews, ya know,them straight lines like to play around. And wid dis rubberized outer layer wid a hard plastic shell? I'm tellin ya- an youse can believe me- dat dis ting will protect yer bootiful iPhone from a nice fall. Maybe even a kick or two. i'm jes sayin. No need to git upset! I'm just tellin youse what wut COULD happen. Hey: I've had it happen to mine more dan a few times, I can tell ya! An dis OtterBox case: dis ting just took it wid a big smile. Course, now I can't sleep at night wit dis ting near da bed. I'm a bit worried 'bout it...gettin back at me, like. Udderwise, I can't say enuff good tings 'bout it, know wut i'm sayin?
So get one fer youses iPhone. Ya jest never know...and oh...I'm sorry again ! i didn't see dat nise vase youse had sittin on the pedestal in fronta me! I really AM so clumsy dese days!"
0,40_15_R233HVRAS6F7IC.txt,5.0,A searing indictment...,"March 21, 2003","""jmk444""",Dereliction of Duty: The Eyewitness Account of How President Bill Clinton Compromised America's Long-Term National Security (Hardcover),"This book is sure to be loudly denounced and vehemently derided, but coming, as it does, from a member of Clinton's own military security detail, it will most likely never be debunked. Lieutenant Colonel Robert "Buzz" Patterson penned "Dereliction of Duty" after his retirement because he would never have been able to publish this kind of information while working for the government. "Dereliction of Duty" is a gripping, yet horrifying read that'll have you realizing how lucky the U.S. was during the eight year Clinton/Gore Administration. One of the most damning charges is that Clinton once lost the "nuclear football," the suitcase that carries this country's nuclear launch codes. Clinton's response, according to Patterson, was a cavalier, "I'll track'em down guys." You'll also read about the time in 1998 that Clinton blew off his National Security Advisor so he could finish a round of golf, while stealth-bombers, engines running, their pilots in the cockpits, sat on a Mid-East tarmac until the cover of darkness was lost and a vital mission against Saddam Hussein was called off. Patterson also gives an entirely new look at the "Black Hawk Down" story, with Clinton denying the troops the weaponry they requested, then sending them into harm's way and ultimately blaming the disaster on his Secretary of Defense. "Dereliction of Duty" is a searing indictment of the Clinton administration from an insider's view. This book deserves to be read by every American!"
0,6_3_R2KSLBB7WY5UHJ.txt,5.0,Great sound from this SMALL speaker!,"October 13, 2009","Drake Li ""Drake""",X-Mini II Capsule Speaker (Electronics),"First off, This speaker is incredible for it's size. There is almost no distortion in sound when playing on MAX volume. It comes with a USB splitter, to charge and a 3.5mm plug so that you can connect multiple X Mini II's together. It also comes with a handy bag to store your X Mini II in. I had an Altec Lansing iM207 before this, and the X Mini II blew the iM207 away!!!. The size difference was one thing, and the sound quality was another. The iM207 also ran on 3 AAA batteries. There will also be distortion in the iM207 on full volume. The playtime with the batteries was terrible. I had to switch batteries every week, with only around 20minutes of playtime each day. For the X Mini II, it can play up to 8 hours. There are also LED indicators of when you need to charge again, and when it is fully charged."
0,5_5_R32K7PPX045RSV.txt,5.0,Top Quality Product - Very Fair Price,"May 30, 2010","Richard Coyle ""Frodo2844""",The Mountain Three Wolf Moon Short Sleeve Tee (Apparel),"This shirt is a top quality product, and the price charged is excellent. We were totally pleased with the product and the seller."
0,15_4_R2QZ8W9LE9T895.txt,1.0,Horrible Quality DVD,"November 26, 2005",DTrain,Santa Claus Conquers the Martians (DVD),"This version of the film is released by PASSPORT VIDEO which is bad news. Passport likes to put their logo in the corner of the screen and finds just about the worst quality they can possibly dig up. This DVD has jumps in the film and couldn't get too much more grainy looking.
This is the second time I've been burned by Passport video. The first time being their DVD of Plan 9 From Outer Space which suffers the same fate. If I had noticed this one was released by Passport I wouldn't have bought it but I didn't even check. Shame on me and shame on Passport for releasing such garbage. Stay away from their releases at all costs.
As for the film itself, see the review below."
0,10_3_RHM6KF5MZYMUF.txt,5.0,Best In Its Class - Great For Traveling,"August 7, 2008",EmbeddedFlyer,Garmin nüvi 255W 4.3-Inch Widescreen Portable GPS Navigator (Electronics),"If you spend much time driving in unfamiliar territory, especially if you rent cars in big cities, a good portable GPS makes an amazing difference. And the Garmin 255W is the best one I could find in the $250 - $350 range.
First this thing just plain works. I haven't had any issues with mine. It was easy to set up and figure out right out of the box, and it's easy to use. It never has had trouble getting sufficient signal unlike earlier and cheaper models.
I chose the 255W for several reasons: It uses some of the newest and best maps available. It has one of the more usable touch screens for entering destinations. It's fast to acquire satellites. And Garmin almost always comes out on top in reviews--especially in routing.
Ultimately, you buy a car GPS to get you from Point A to Point B as easily and efficiently as possible. And that's what the 255W does best. If you've ever had a ""Brand X"" GPS take you on some strange route that adds 20 minutes to your trip, has you turn the wrong way down a one way road, tell you to turn AFTER you've passed the street, frequently loses the satellite signal, or has old maps missing streets, you know how important this stuff is.
The 255W has a really clear display that's easy to see in any light. It's small enough to use on foot. The windshield mount works great and it's easy to toss in the glovebox when you park. It even tells you the speed limit on most roads. The ""points of interest"" feature works very well to find places to eat by type of cuisine, gas stations, etc.
The difference between the 255W and 205W is the 255 speaks street names and includes Alaska and Canada. The 205 and 205W will tell you to ""turn right in 500 feet"" which isn't as helpful or obvious as ""turn right on Ivy Street in 500 feet"". The ""W"" models are widescreen which makes entering destinations easier due to having a bigger ""keyboard"" and also lets you see more map area while driving.
All in all this isn't the cheapest GPS in its class but it's one of the best. My only gripe is you need an expensive add-on to get live traffic data--something that's included with the Magellan Roadmate 1430 which is close to the same price. But the Garmin 255W is a better GPS in every other way."
0,46_12_R2WL4173J0BEJB.txt,5.0,My Favorite Next to Dead to the World,"May 5, 2010","Jen","Dead in the Family (Sookie Stackhouse, Book 10) (Hardcover)","I loved this book. Loved it. I feel that it was very much in synch with Ms. Harris' earlier works in the series where the cohesion comes from a single mystery that runs like a river under the various plotlines (some resolved and some to be resolved). Also unifying the whole, was the theme of 'family' which allowed us to get to know our favorite characters on a deeper level --really nice at this late stage in the series.
The character developement overall in this installment was spot on and brilliant (ie: Taking one of the series' new characters a full, believable, 180 degrees from sympathetic to psycho). Sookie is still our beloved Sookie, her black humor and sass intact, but now with some welcome maturation and self awareness (Take that Stephanie Plum!)and an ability to actually have some empathy and concern for Eric --oh, and now she will ""stake a b***h"" if you mess with her or her man! Speaking of whom, it's still our beloved Machiavellian Eric, but now he's realizing that he's got to be more open and honest if Sookie's going to trust him.
There's a return of the likable Bill for Bill fans. (Yay old Bill! Give him a woman he can mollycoddle and talk adorably stilted to for pity's sake.) And even Sam was awesome and cool --his interactions with Sookie comforting and welcome instead of the yawn fest they've been lately. It was also nice to have Jason back to being Sookie's big brother and comic relief rather than the absent ne'er do well.
The author was on her game with her descriptions and dialogue as well. Some favorite quotes that come quickly to mind, ""...he was not a happy camper. Well, he could pitch his tent right alongside mine."" and ""That looks painful. Would you like me to nurse it?"" (Honestly, the book deserves 5 stars alone for the ""chair"" scene and Pam calling Sookie ""monkey girl"" --too much wicked fun.) I laughed aloud throughout the book.
Finally, there were a few ""True Blood"" shoutouts which I really enjoyed (and I include among these, a flipping of Eric's Maker storyline on it's head --way to own it, Ms. Harris, and give us something new along with a sly nod and a wink) and some clever references to past Sookie short stories --nice rewards for the faithful fan."
0,30_5_R2TSZEEPEUJ4T0.txt,5.0,"High quality, good design, excellent performance","July 2, 2006",H. Carol Clarke,"KitchenAid Gourmet Essentials 2 Quart Porcelain Tea Kettle, Mustard (Kitchen)","I am very pleased with my purchase. The kettle has a solid feel and looks very attractive in my kitchen. It heats quickly and when pouring, the steam does not rise up and hit my hand. The color is perfect and spatters clean off the finish easily. The cover fits securely. The water tastes fresh and clean, unlike another metal kettle I purchased some time ago which imparted an unpleasant taste to the water. All in all, I'm very happy with it. I would recommend this item to anyone who wishes to purchase it. Thanks Kitchenaid for a quality product."
1,26_5_R2JAN7N7K0C4O6.txt,5.0,The perfect bat,"July 25, 2009","J. Strickland ""Intellijunt DeZine""",Cold Steel Self Defense Indestructible Brooklyn Baseball Bat (Misc.),The pinnacle of bat perfection. Blood stains wash off easily with soap and water. Femurs snap like toothpicks under it's irresistible force. Deadbeats pay up instantly at the mere sight of this instrument. I can't imagine how I ever got by without it before. This thing could drop an elephant. Buy this bat.
0,51_2_R1I1F53KVOIDEK.txt,4.0,It works on skin tags too.,"November 29, 2008","Eric Collins ""Wondering around""",Dr. Scholl's Freeze Away Wart Remover,"It worked for me on skin tags. I just followed the directions, it took one off right away, the other one took two applications."
0,20_1_RRVE48GWOWPP4.txt,5.0,My 10 yo son loves this shirt!,"July 5, 2008","Shuree D. Munden-Wagstaff ""SoCalBikerChick!""",Cobra T-shirt 100% Cotton Short Sleeved KIDS TEENS and ADULTS Snake Shirt (Apparel),"Bought this for my son, the detail is great and he loves it. This is the third shirt from these manufactures/artist whatever, I have bought, ALL Of them have been fantastic in quality and detail. Would buy again, would recommend to others."
1,15_10_R2LI7PF47BH0HF.txt,1.0,Awful! Awful! Awful!,"July 8, 2010",Peggy S. Fisher,Seven Year Switch (Hardcover),"I can't believe I actually finished this book! It gives even ""chick lit"" a bad name. The plot is preposterous. But worse still is the fact that the ""heroine"" is intellectually challenged and utterly neurotic. The author presents her story as if this woman is to be admired, while she in fact behaves like a lovesick teenager and a horrible mother from beginning to end. Are we to believe that she just lets her husband walk out of her life and doesn't bother to pursue him for seven years to obtain a divorce and child support. (Isn't this passive child abuse?)
Are we then to believe that she lets this scoundrel waltz back into her life and spend copious amounts of time with her fanatically protected ten-year old daughter, when for all she knows the husband has been abusing little girls around the world for years. And, wouldn't said child be at least a tad resentful of the father who abandoned her? On a lesser issue, the heroine is supposed to be a sophisticated world traveller, but she is woefully ignorant about the locales she touts, not to mention little things like TSA rules.
I could go on and on. It scares me to think that there are women who actually can give this drivel five-star ratings."
0,23_13_R29EKQDD1KCLTU.txt,5.0,Read and Learn,"July 4, 2004",A Customer,My Life (Hardcover),"I am a conservative economist who, like many of the reviewers here, never voted for Bill Clinton. However, unlike those same reviewers, I read this entire book. I must say that it is somewhat satisfying to understand the thought processes behind this president. He is a remarkably bright individual who overcame a somewhat deprived childhood to excel at some of the world's finest educational institutions. Given the ineptitude of the current administration which won on pedigree, it is refreshing to know that hard work, intellect, and perseverance can also lead to the White House. The book has a few tedious moments. The Arkansas campaigns are littered with the names of individuals no one outside of the Ozarks will recognize. On the whole though, this book delivers for the aficionado of American politics. You will see the deep thought and debate surrounding policy decisions. You will appreciate the fact that this president actually led his administration with his own ideas and strategies for implementing them. Likewise, he wrote many of his own speeches and routinely held press conferences without knowing the questions in advance. I would have liked even more from these areas, but the book does provide as much depth as most political memoirs. What I would like from Clinton's second book would be a discussion of the perception and reality of American politics. For example, the Bush administration, with annual budget and trade deficits of over $1 trillion, has the most liberal fiscal policy since the Johnson administration. At the same time, they have increased the size of the government more than any other administration in history, with the effects of the war and 9/11 accounting for only 45% of this enormous growth. Clinton, on the other hand, was extremely conservative during his second term, shrinking the government, slowing the growth in expenditures across the board, and balancing the budget. Yet, Clinton is reviled as being too liberal by conservatives who don't seem to do their homework. It's too bad they're unwilling to spend time reading a book like this instead of allowing radio talk show hosts to fill their heads with lies that matter."
0,21_20_R16V5IC45WHZZM.txt,1.0,Not a UMS storage device!,"August 18, 2007",Developer,Samsung YP-U3JQB 2GB Touch Control MP3 Player (Black) (Electronics),"""The U3 also functions as a flash drive. You can use it to transfer files from one computer or USB device to another.""
This is a false claim. The YP-U3 is not a ""USB Mass Storage"" (UMS) device, and consequently, will not mount on the desktop of Windows or Macintosh computers as a drive. The device requires that you install software (Windows only) to manage the content of the device. Since I bought this with the intention of using it as a flash drive on my Macintosh computer, it's now useless in that capacity. I can't even use it on the Windows machines at work because it requires the installation of software on any machine you want to use it as a storage device with.
After doing a bit of research on the 'net, I've come to learn that previous generations of this device (U1 and U2) as well as *every other* similar Samsung device had this functionality, with the exception of the U3. Some folks recommend downgrading the ROM to a UMS-compatible version (the ROM download is, in fact, available from Samsung's site) but it seems this particular device is 'smart' and does not allow itself to be modified for UMS functionality.
I'm sorry to have to rate this product 1 star -- but flash drive functionality was the only reason I bought a 2GB device instead of some other player/recorder/radio with less memory. It's actually pretty nice, and I own 2 iPod's and an iPhone. The FM radio sounds very good, and the voice recorder is also nice.* The UI is very clever and only a tad more complex to use than an iPod. All around, a nice, tiny, device. Oh, and you can even turn off the LED effects, since out of the box, the default behavior is to flash bright LEDs every time you press a button.
Anyways, with regards to flash drive functionality: Buyer beware!
*With regards the voice recorder, it picks up the noise of your hands when you handle the device. So if you hold it while recording, it will record every squeak and brush of your fingers as it rubs across the surface. Very annoying. Fortunately, it has a clip that will let you tuck the thing in your pocket. So long as you don't move much, you won't pick up the extra noise."
0,47_8_RF33O2JORIQWV.txt,5.0,Culture Warrior,"January 10, 2007",J. Helton,Culture Warrior (Hardcover),"The Culture Warrior by Blll O'Reilly provides a reader with powerful principals for change. It is the first book I have read by O'Reilly and have found his writing to be pleasant. I found this book to be enjoyable as it describes the most effective people should be value centered, which is the key for long term success. The book went on to describe where people are dependent and need others to get what they want while independent people can get what they want by their own effort. The paradigms presented in the Culture Warrior by O'Reilly can assist individuals in their professional work and more importantly in their personal lives. I give this book a thumbs up and a must read."
1,39_2_RON6WJEKSDZDE.txt,1.0,This Stuff is the Spanish Fly for Koala Bears!,"October 18, 2009","Ronny Tucker-HillbillyHygiene.com ""Ronny Tucker- HillbillyHygiene.com""",Balla Powder Talc For Men 100 g (Health and Beauty),"Well this one ain't original. I can't believe that men would pay for something that they have in their cupboard. I mean all you need is a little corn starch thrown up in your britches to freshen up.
Now mind you when I was used to herd billy goats on foot I would put so much starch on my whatnots that I would have a fresh batch of chocolate chip muffins in my drawers at the end of the day.
Now Balla Powder says it has peppermint and eucalyptus in it which is a little scary if you live in Australia. Imagine this, your taking a little Rip Van Winkle under a tree and you wake up to some Kola Bear licking you're landing gear. The good news is that you can give the Kola Bear a thank you kiss because his breath will smell minty fresh.
So maybe this stuff is worth the price if you want a Koala Bear to lick your junk.
This has been Ronny Tucker with Hillbilly Hygiene saying ""Cornbread and Butter make love"""
1,31_15_R1VFVF6B8XUB40.txt,1.0,"Scary, vacuum cleaner sounds & annoying music!","February 19, 2010","Techie supreme ""Heather""",Playskool Explore and Grow Busy Ball Popper (Toy),"If you're looking to purchase a scary toy that makes vacuum cleaner sucking sounds and plays the most annoying ""arcade like"" music, then this is for you. We received this as a gift for my son's first birthday - he was honestly scared of this toy for about 2-3 weeks (I think it was the horrible and loud vacuum cleaner sound it makes when you turn it on). I don't see any educational value from this toy and after 2-3 weeks of trying it out, we were all relieved when we decided to retire this to the basement."
0,5_1_R2962BG5EELZ7F.txt,5.0,Buy this phone !!,"April 29, 2010",Laura Dale,HTC DROID INCREDIBLE Android Phone (Verizon Wireless) (Wireless Phone),"I got my Droid Incredible in the mail on Tuesday even though the release date is today (4/29).
The phone is stunning...with all the simplicity you'd expect out of a new smartphone and all the fun you'd expect out of a Google phone.
Pros:
Android OS and Sense
Customizable
Beautiful Screen
Android Market
8MP camera (shoots well in low light don't let anyone tell you different)
super fast processor
7 home screens that you can view by pinching. You don't have to swipe through all 7. Makes my friends jealous.
the browser is smooth and fast. Auto aligns text when you zoom. uses multi-touch to pinch and zoom. Smooth scrolling and fast, fast load times.
Cons
hard to sync any e-mail other than a gmail account
facebook app sucks, but i just made a bookmark to the full site, since the internet is super fast
optical trackpad is glitchy but i only use it for the camera
battery life...but Seidio is coming out with an extended battery so thats not going to be a problem soon
Bottom Line:
Honestly, I have been waiting for a phone like this every since the iPhone. I don't have AT&T and to be honest I just don't like Apple as a company. They make cool stuff, but they rip their customers off. This phone is an iPhone killer. Compare them on all levels of performance, looks, functionality, customization, and speed and you'll find that the Droid Incredible is the same if not better. Also, Verizon's coverage is fantastic, so don't be fooled by 4G. I'm sure its great if you live somewhere where you get service.
EDIT: (4/30) This phone eats RAM like crazy. I installed ""Advanced Task Killer"" but I was still down to only 42M after a few days. I would suggest downloading either ""Task Manager"" or ""TaskPanel"" (I have Task Manager and my boyfriend has TaskPanel on his Moto Droid and both work quite well). I also suggest restarting the phone every few days just like you would a real computer.
Other than that still no complaints :)"
0,45_11_R1AMP6JYG8WHOC.txt,1.0,Familiarize yourself with YOU,"March 9, 2010",RAINYCITY503,"Vaginal speculums, metal - 3 sizes (Health and Beauty)","I purchased this tool to become more familiar with my cycles. Ouch isn't something you really want to feel when you use a speculum. It may not be the most comfortable situation but it should not *hurt*. It's really appalling how many fake ""funny or joke reviews"" are on this subject. It's sad that a women's health tool has to be the subject of objectification or a joke. I truly encourage all the women I know to get more in touch with their cycles and their cervix. Empower yourself! It's a beautiful thing. A speculum is a wonderful tool!! I purchased this to become more familiar with my cycles and to also become more familiar with my cervix. You can tell SO much about ovulation by checking your cervix. When you are TTC, this is invaluable. It's a relatively inexpensive tool.
Anyways, this speculum was *not* what I expected at all. One of the blades was much shorter than the other making it impossible to insert. No matter how much lube I used, or how relaxed I was, it wouldn't insert itself comfortably. I chose to buy this one instead of plastic for environmental reasons but I regret the decision as I cannot even use it. I have since ordered a pack of plastic speculums and already used one of those. It fit SO much more comfortably. I was hoping I didn't have to buy plastic but I did.
The shipper did get the item to me in a timely manner so if you'd like to try it for yourself, you can count on fast shipping.
Would definitely not make this purchase again based on the ease of use of this speculum. It hurt too much and I have a pretty decent tolerance for discomfort.
(this all may be TMI but what did you expect in a product review for a speculum?)"
1,7_10_R1OBNLR6A0ATR2.txt,1.0,I wouldn't recommend it,"April 2, 2010","The Toddler ""T. Toddler""",The Twilight Saga: New Moon (Two-Disc Special Edition) (DVD),"If you're a fan of awkward pauses, weak plotlines, and shirtless guys, this movie is for you. By the end of the movie, it seemed like there was a lot of suspense, but not the right kind of suspense. I found myself with enough time between the character's lines to figure out what I'm doing for the rest of the week/month. A lot of times the pauses in the dialog were filled by grunts, sighs, and heavy breathing, which is more than a little uncomfortable. Also, I found myself wondering how two such awesome genre's as Vampires and Werewolves would get themselves wrapped up in something as lame as a highschooler with a breathing problem. Do yourself a favor and rent/buy/obsess over something else."
0,276426_9_R14SQB116M254R.txt,5.0,Great TV for the price...,"March 15, 2010",John P. Nanai,Sylvania LC321SSX 32-Inch HD Flat Panel LCD TV (Electronics),"We bought this TV to replace a 27"" flat screen (tubed) TV. Easy set-up out of the box, factory settings were just about dead on. We're not huge tech heads so it pretty much has everything we were looking for. One thing to note is that if you're new to LCD's there's a little adjustment to be made. The refresh rate on this is 60hz, the higher end ones are 120hz, I believe plasmas are in the 700hz range. You'll notice little things if you're up close, like white caps on waves get a little pixelated. Also your old shows like Sienfeld look really lousy up close. After a few months I don't notice any of this anymore and we're very happy with the TV. We just bought a Sylvania 22"" for the bedroom.
Bottom line, for the average TV viewer, great picture and sound, I wouldn't hesitate to buy another one. Also, great customer service when I had trouble hooking my computer up through the HDMI port, changed the PC resolution and all was good."
1,24_5_R1XDMNRFJMN45Y.txt,1.0,"oh, lordy...","August 26, 2007",Jeff White,Anne of Green Gables [IMPORT] (DVD),"This simpering little twit plodding her way through this series should be used as forced-viewing punishment for people who take organized sports too seriously. I suffered through an hour of this with my wife and I wished she's fall down a well and not come out. Or fall off a horse-drawn carriage that's going at full speed. Or, well, you get the idea."
1,51_2_R1JZM989AKI865.txt,1.0,NO,"September 17, 2009",Daniel C. Saunders,Dr. Scholl's Freeze Away Wart Remover,"Hopefully you were smarter than me and read reviews before you bought this overpriced product. Put it this way. The instructions say ""if you use a treatment wait 2 weeks before attempting another treatment"" Well, after 2 treatments over 1 month didn't work for me I tried 3 treatment in 10 minutes, and each treatment was 10-20seconds over the recommended application time. Guess what happened? well, it is 2 weeks later, and the wart on my finger has doubled in size.
i have seen positive feedback on this product and i'm curious if they bought it when it was a very very small wart or a d-bag share holder/company man."
1,11_4_R3JUIEGFUTUWMI.txt,3.0,"Great Product, Poor Packaging","May 14, 2009","Patrick J. McGovern ""Procrastinating Evil Scientist""",Uranium Ore,"I purchased this product 4.47 Billion Years ago and when I opened it today, it was half empty."
0,26_8_R16DQN6R1KF3J1.txt,5.0,Excellent Buckwheat Honey,"September 1, 2009",Natalya,"Hyson Buckwheat Honey, 35.3-Ounce Glass Jar (Pack of 2) (Grocery)","This is an excellent buckwheat honey - and tastes exactly the way buckwheat honey supposed to taste. It is a bit tart, even a little bitter, not too sweet. If you are from Eastern Europe or like Eastern European cuisine, you will really appreciate this honey. It is very dark and has that strong noble taste and smell I associate with good quality honey.
If you like sugary sweet clover or alfalfa honey (bright yellow substance that does not crystallize, which chain supermarkets sell in plastic bottles), this honey is not for you."
0,27_16_R2CSXN4MEKLTDB.txt,4.0,"Classic television show, disappointing DVD release","February 6, 2010",Telegram Sam,Pee-wee's Playhouse #1 - Seasons 1 and 2 (DVD),"This show deserves infinity out of 5 stars but I'm afraid I have to give the DVD sets only 1/5. I'm cutting the difference and calling it a 4. Why? The transfer quality is not what you'd hope for, unfortunately. I realize that this show was likely shot on video rather than film, given the budget and time period, but so were many of my other favorite late 80's/early 90's TV programs and I've seen better results on DVD re-releases than this, the technology exists to clean them up better than this, you could easily forget that you are watching a digital format and not VHS. More importantly, there are also no extras - no commentary, documentaries, production photos, interviews - zip, zilch, nada.
This show was the highlight of my week as a young child, is brilliantly cracked entertainment for me as an adult, and will always hold a special place in my heart, but this DVD release doesn't quite do it justice. The supposed 2005 version mentioned in other reviews has not materialized even now in 2010, but hopefully with Paul Reubens back on stage performing as Pee-Wee, renewed interest in the character will result in the better release it deserves."
0,32_1_R24NLQQ739CN43.txt,5.0,"Great Value, awesome! But don't expect it to compete with $3000 camera","October 12, 2009",R. Vernon,Kodak Zi8 Pocket Video Camera (Black) (Electronics),"I rarely will type/review products but I've been a little frustrated reading the reviews of this product on Amazon and by users at other sites. Many users seem to think that this camera was designed to compete with expensive, professional cameras that cost thousands of dollars and produce full HD quality video. That's not what this is. Also, while my camera hasn't had the 'noise' issue from the Mic, i have seen a camera that had the issue and its BARELY noticeable. Its almost like a very quiet background noise from a Florescent light or something.
Kodak has designed, marketed, and built a camera to compete with FLiP and has clearly produced a FAR better product.
I'll keep it short and sweet and first explain who I am and what I am using this camera for. I use it for:
-Home Videos/Fun stuff with old buddies and friends
-For work when I need some quick video that's easy to upload online, or put in iMovie and edit
-For work when I need more complex videos that may require editing, or somewhat lengthy video but I want the ease of use/portability.
I have seen some of the problems stated with the internal Mic and I have had none of them (I do have the upgraded Firmware that is now standard 1.03, and Kodak says this completely eliminates the issue...again have never had the issue on my camera). A relative of mine was lucky enough to purchase this product when Kodak did an 'early' release a few months ago and occasionally his videos will have a bit of a higher pitched background noise, but it doesn't interfere with the sound from the video -- its just a light background noise that, honestly, i've heard on dozens of cameras. Don't forget, without an external Mic the camera only records mono so -- the sounds quality isn't going to be great anyway!
The video is great, image stability isn't as advanced as those available on more expensive cameras but it is better than anything i've seen in a FLiP or other Kodak model. It does work and you can see a difference, even if its not huge. Its SO easy to flip between video modes. The 1080p is awesome, but sometimes its nice to move back down to 720 and the 60fps to capture 'action' footage.
One negative -- which most people may see as a positive -- i do wish there were more settings, or at least the ability to play around with more features/edit modes. Its GREAT easy to use, its a point and shoot video camera -- but with the great lens and abilities, it seems like Kodak could have -- pretty easily -- had this camera competing with much higher end cameras. If all the hardware was put to great use this could compete with $500+ cameras. But I understand wanting to keep it simple.
I like having the SD card. Some people would prefer the internal memory, and yes by the time you buy a decent sized SD card the camera is more expensive than the FLiP, but, the FLiP has a very limited memory. This camera is limited only by the size of the card...Definitely a positive!
Finally, I know people that are both in the TV business and do a lot of Video blogging and they are drooling over this camera because of the external mic capabilities. One reason lots of 'pros' didn't like FLiP was because of the audio issues. Kodak has solved those, not to mention providing better quality video.
Again this isn't something to shoot with if your a young film-maker or a die-hard amateur cinematographer. But if you need something cheap to get some great quality video, or need something super easy to use that is really portable....Take the plunge. And if your considering FLiP -- don't bother..."
0,20_13_R3NM08UCFATYZU.txt,5.0,"Integrity, intellect, patriotism, energy, sense of humor","January 2, 2010","Andrew in Illinois ""Andrew""",Going Rogue: An American Life (Hardcover),"If I had to list Sarah Palin's best qualities, I would say: ""integrity, intellect, patriotism, energy, and a good sense of humor."" She is a breath of fresh air in our national politics, an honest person who loves this country passionately and truly serves the people rather than special interest groups.
The book has answered many of the questions that I had about the 2008 presidential campaign, the supposedly weak interviews that Sarah Palin gave to some reporters, about her post-election fight with frivolous ethics complaints and her retirements from the Governor of Alaska office. Most importantly, Going Rogue, has given me confidence that we have a brilliant candidate for president in 2012.
Going Rogue is full of fun facts about the Palin family, Alaska politics, and the 2008 campaign. If you are a conservative, you'll love this book. If you are an ""independent"", then you should definitely read Going Rogue to form your own opinion of Sarah Palin. If you are a liberal who hates her guts and doesn't know why, then what are you even doing reading my five-star review?!"
1,1_6_R3GAKPYR63VAW2.txt,1.0,"Touchy, feely and not good for the environment.","January 16, 2009",Juan Valdez,"Toilet Paper Origami: Delight your Guests with Fancy Folds & Simple Surface Embellishments or Easy Origami for Hotels, Bed & Breakfasts, Cruise Ships & Creative Housekeepers (Crafts/Towel Folding) (Paperback)","Very nice folds, and creative too....but who wants to use something that has been touched and folded a dozen times by another person's hands?! Stick to napkins and towels, or the very basic of toilet paper folds. To say nothing of the environmental impact of all the extra toilet paper used."
0,22_16_R2B47C0U6UCZLW.txt,1.0,Repetitive Formulaic Music,"August 24, 2007",ArtistInResidence,Memory Almost Full (Audio CD),"Sadly, this much-anticipated album is chock full of repetitive formulaic songs (it seems that all McCartney has to do is repeat a word or phrase over and over, and then sets it to music...) Not up to this star's usual abilities. Don't bother!"
0,19_17_R3D2A164T6VINX.txt,5.0,Perfect Military Watch,"March 14, 2009",The Right Now Poster Girl,Casio Men's GW9200-1 G-Shock Riseman Alti-Therm Solar Atomic Watch (Watch),"My brother is in the Marine Corps and when I saw his old watch I realized he needed something tough. His old watch had fallen apart due to physical beatings (the face was cracked) exposed to the elements (at the time he was stationed in Arizona)and the band was cracking.
I did research and came across the G-Shock. I read reviews for different models all over the internet and saw a lot of military personnel (both active and retired) give this watch rave reviews. It had the perfect amount of features (not too much, not too little) and wasn't flashy and followed his dress code for when he wears his Dress Blues and is lighter than it looks.
My brother got it for Xmas 08 and he has no complaints whatsoever. This watch has been subjected to the same abuse as the other (even more now that he is stationed in Afghanistan)and still looks new. The other guys on his base even liked it and went out and bought their own.
My brother says I found the perfect watch and I highly recommend it to others in the military."
1,18_19_RTJ6PHNHIFR09.txt,2.0,Q&A,"January 4, 2001","Vincent R. Corvaia ""yourpalvince""",Pretty in Pink [VHS] (VHS Tape),"[Spoiler alert. Nothing overt, but I do touch on the ending indirectly.] Burning questions for anyone who liked this movie: Q. Why does Ringwald appear repulsed by Cryer the first time she sees him? A. So that the audience can identify with her, even though it turns out they're best friends. Q. Why does Ringwald's best friend disappear halfway through the movie? A. Because the actress died. But that's no reason to keep the scenes she shot, with no explanation of the character's disappearance, and then scribble new material for Annie Potts' record shop supervisor as the new best friend in the second half of the movie. Q. Why does Spader look like he belongs in college, not high school? A. Because he was clearly too old for the part, although he was otherwise perfect. Q. Speaking of Spader, why has he been chasing Ringwald for years if nothing about people outside of his social status appeals to him? A. Plot point Hughes thought he had to have, but it's actually unnecessary. Q. Why are we supposed to think that Ringwald's perfectly decent house is trashy and shameful? A. Because audiences would presumably be repulsed by genuine poverty. (It's also a mystery why she's so ashamed of it if she rejects the values of her snobby classmates so vehemently.) Q. Why in the novelization does Duckie get the leading lady and not in the movie? A. Because the writer of the novelization knew what the only real logical ending was. Hughes mistook gloss over substance again, as he did in "The Breakfast Club," where Ally Sheedy's transformation from quirky indivualist to Barbie doll was supposed to be a good thing. Q. Why, if the characters' emotions and actions are supposed to ring true, does Potts almost blind a customer with a staple gun? A. Because cheap, easy laughs are excused by audiences raised on sitcoms and music videos. Q. Why, if Cryer and Ringwald are in the same grade and therefore presumably the same age, can't he get into the same nightclub she can? A. Don't ask me. Q. Why is the father played by Stanton such a weakling? A. It's required in any movie from the late 70s on where a child or teenager is the protagonist. Has there been a parental figure in movies in the last 25 years as charming and authoritative as Ferris Bueller? Q. Why would anyone hire an actor whose idea of emoting is to press his lips together and bulge his eyes out? A. Ask Andrew McCarthy's agent. Can I recommend anything about this movie? Yes. Cryer is genuinely appealing in his best role. The soundtrack still kicks. And the climax (moments before the ending itself falls apart, when you think the right thing is about to happen, before it doesn't) is genuinely touching, because Duckie deserves happiness and Andy deserves Duckie."
0,38_16_R1HGYH005FCD4X.txt,5.0,"Great little speakers, if you need good, cheap, sound","July 12, 2008","James Skemp ""JamesRSkemp.com""",HP Multimedia Speakers (Electronics),"I don't play PC games any more, and I watch (most) movies on my nice television. So, what I really wanted from these little speakers was to be able to listen to iTunes every once in a while, and watch assorted videos online (YouTube, Video.Google, and even Netflix every once in a while).
These speakers are perfect for exactly that.
The small size means that they don't take up too much real-estate on my desk (about 3.5 inches wide and 3 inches deep), but they're nice enough that I can enjoy listening to music or videos.
And, with USB, that means not having to worry about a lot of cords.
Overall, I've been very happy with this purchase."
0,43_5_R1QXA1Q635J8T2.txt,5.0,Love it!,"May 26, 2010",M. Fontaine,"Haier MWM12001SCGSS 1-1/5-Cubic-Foot 1000-Watt Grill and Convection Microwave Oven, Stainless Steel (Kitchen)","Great product at a great price. It is not a very large microwave but it does a lot and saves me a lot of counter space by not having multiple appliances that one microwave/convection over can do. I have shopped around for similar products before buying this one and similar products go for a lot more. This one looks good, performs well and is affordable."
1,23_19_R12ESKRX75V586.txt,1.0,"Tried to read it, but couldn't stay awake.","June 24, 2010","Nathan Oliphant ""nato""",The Overton Window (Hardcover),"This is an excellent read if you are suffering from insomnia, or need to purge your stomach. A combination of mind-numbingly stupid and vomit-inducing stupidity. Save your money and just drink some Drain-O. You'll actually feel better than if you read this excretion."
0,5_19_R14NYHXD0Q7Q16.txt,2.0,"Artist Indulges Himself, but not Me","December 4, 2007",Devin M. Brand,Rufus Does Judy At Carnegie Hall [2 CD] (Audio CD),"I'm actually somewhat of a fan of Rufus' work. However, this is one he should have left alone. His voice and stage presence are clearly not meant for classic showtune-ish songs about adult themes which require range, vibrato, nuance, and gosh, you pick a few. His interpretation is flat and lacking in, well, interpretation.
He's handsome and talented, no doubt. He should stick to what he does best.
The second star is for the orchestra, though they should have had more sense as well."
1,9_19_R29EKCU0TMWWUG.txt,1.0,Cash your paycheck and flush it,"March 30, 2005",M. Anderson,Creative Labs NOMAD MuVo NX 128 MB Flash Drive MP3 Player (Electronics),"Take your friend out for beers before you waste your money on this thing. If you don't use it, it could last a very long time."
0,45_3_R2DUM7S4XW06QN.txt,5.0,Great in so many ways!!!,"March 22, 2009","Gina-Marie Hammer ""Game Development Goddess""","Kindle Wireless Reading Device (6"" Display, U.S. Wireless) (Electronics)","There were many reasons I decided to purchase a Kindle - my hands ache when holding a book open, I get headaches from reading stuff on the computer, I wanted something I could throw in a bag and take anywhere, and it holds so many items that I don't have to carry three or four novels with me in case I'm bored or finish one. Nothing could prepare me for the actuality that is Kindle. It integrated seamlessly into my life. If I'm at the desk, it's beside me; if I'm in the bedroom, it's on the nightstand; I even take the silly thing to the john. It's so much easier than a book.
I expected it to be a little awkward at first, but it really *does* get lost in your hands. Suddenly, you look down after a couple of hours of reading, and realize you've been holding it all along and forgotten all about it. I expected to read novels and blogs on it. I never expected to be able to download all the .pdf technical manuals that I constantly have to weed through on the computer. I work effortlessly now, looking at the computer, working through a segment, picking up the Kindle, searching for what I need in the manual, even highlighting it, or putting a note in the manual about how well it works.
Note taking is my big thing. When I'm looking at a book, I always find note-taking to be an instinct I have to avoid. I see it as a destructive process. I don't want to ruin my books. Further, who can really concentrate on what they're reading with a pen in their hand? It's two different mindsets. Yet, with Kindle, I do just that. I read a segment, I find a passage, I underline it. I have an opinion, I drop in a note. A question equals another note. When I don't understand something, the dictionary is right at the bottom of the screen to define the word or teach me how to pronounce it; or I can surf to the web and find exactly what I need.
It's so much better than surfing the web on my phone - and far more practical. For one thing, there's no charge except battery power (no pun intended!). For another, all of my research is in one place. The book, notes, websites and highlights are all together - as they should be.
I know a lot of people complain that it should have a bright screen so that you can read it at night, or that it should have color. I say - nay! The main *strength* of Kindle is that it reads *exactly* like a book. No eye strain. No having to turn away every few minutes to relax your eyes; or ending a session of reading with a headache. No ""hot lap"" or mousing around to find the right page. It's just like a book. You hold it, you turn the page, it's effortless, you forget it's there. Only what you're reading matters, and that's exactly how it should be."
0,1_15_R2V3TWILP2523L.txt,5.0,Great book,"May 3, 2010","Sergio H. Nigri ""david_nigri""",The Picture of Dorian Gray (Penguin Classics) (Hardcover),This book is simply amazing. It is the first one that I read from Oscar Wilde and I have to admit I was amazed by how good he was in choosing the right words to form sentences. Dorian Gray is an amazing character and I think that it appeals to everyone in a certain way. It is a must-read.
0,49_7_RTOQPY4ACOU7L.txt,5.0,A best buy,"May 19, 2009","Gordon H. Hughes ""sunshine""",Kodak Zx1 HD Pocket Video Camera (Black) (Electronics),"For starters Amazon delivers on their promise of a 3-day delivery. This is a company you can count on.
The Zx1 is right on target. Right out of the box it does exactly what you would expect from a small pocket video camera - decent quality and simple operation. Even indoors the quality was acceptable - which is more than you can say about most cameras in this class.
This is clearly a second-generation pocket video camera - with improved controls and support for large capacity SD cards. The AA batteries are just what you need to make sure you will never run out. I was surprised to see that a charger was included.
My big concern about buying a Flash Drive HD camera was the issue of file format. This is a thorny issue with all HD video cameras. I could care lass about HD - I just wanted decent quality and the ability to edit video.
The plan is simple - archive the 'HD' content and keep it for future editing when software and hardware are readily available. And meanwhile
convert the files to AVI or another usable DVD formtat for immediate use.
The supplied ArcSoft program does primitive conversion of the 720p format to 640 DVD format - but in Quicktime - which Windows Media player version 9 still refuses to recognize in Windows XP ( I hate Vista)
There are many third party programs which do a better job of conversion - the one I use is AVS Video Converter 6. It took the raw MOV file from the SD card and converted it to AVI format with the 720 lines preserved and good sound quality. As with all such conversions it is slow but the quality is excellent. This is not a trivial conversion. Of course AVS will convert it to any of a dozen other formats - some with smaller file size - but none with higher quality.
Since this camera is so new, the Kodak web site has very limited documentation for the Zx1. They avoid entirely the issue of file formats and that is because it is a thorny issue. Along these lines I should mention that without loading any software, you can slip the SD card in your computer slot and you will get a MOV file. It comes up as a Quicktime file. My version of Quicktime played the movie O.K but there was no sound. I'm sure an update is available - but it may not be free.
Of course my Quicktime player did play the MOV file after it was converted by ArcSoft.
Hey for $150 - this is a great buy and it seems to be durable also."
0,25_6_RCZFUW8W9BABN.txt,5.0,"Excellent, easy to set up, really nice unit","October 20, 2009","Goldengate ""Goldengate""",Western Digital WD TV Live Network-ready HD Media Player WDBAAN0000NBK-NESN (Electronics),"There are already some very well-written informative reviews on this player, so I'll try to focus on the ""out of the box experience"" since mine is literally just out of the box today. Because my order on Amazon for this product was backordered for a month or more, I called all the local Best Buys until I found a WD TV Live that was not showing up on their ""store availability"" page and purchased it for $119 plus tax (oh how I missed Amazon when the tax was added on at my local store!). The price on Amazon has gone all over the place the last few days, from $119 to $149. I'm assuming we'll see it at $99 after the initial release period is over since several media players are now priced at that point.
I went home, unpacked the box and in my haste I didn't even see the installation CD that came with the unit. (I just ran it now so I could tell you about it - it includes a utility which allows your computer to ""see"" the WD TV, as well as the manual and some other fluff).
I plugged the WDTV into an ethernet jack on my router, used the supplied cables to attach to my TV, plugged in the power cable and literally minutes later I was watching videos stored on my computer! The WD TV immediately logged onto our computer network and saw both of our computers (Windows XP), and I was able to watch media stored on both. Wow. Very easy. Then I navigated to Pandora, punched in my account information, and 30 seconds later was listening to my Pandora music stations. Next stop was YouTube (another menu option), I plugged in my YouTube name and password, and was able to see my YouTube subscriptions.
I then went into the settings menu and clicked on ""update firmware"" just to make sure I had the latest firmware installed. After about 5 seconds of the unit checking with Western Digital, it confirmed my firmware is up to date. Again, very easy. I was also able to register the unit from the onscreen display, and received a confirmation email. I found the onscreen menus very logically laid out and easy to use.
Watching movies stored on my computer and accessing YouTube/Pandora was great - but I wanted to see if I could access Hulu. So, I navigated to the ""media server"" menu and it saw my Tversity software program running on one computer. I clicked on that and minutes later I was watching ""Glee"" (a program on ABC). The only issue I ran into was that fast forward would sometimes cause the program to freeze and I would need to re-start. Given that this media player is brand new and basically in what feels like a beta release, sold out just about everywhere, I'm assuming that a firmware upgrade in the coming weeks will fix that bug as well as any others I come across. I tried a few other programs and was only able to replicate the issue intermittently. However, pause caused no problems. And, I don't expect Western Digital to support Tversity, which may be the root of the problem (vs the WD player) so I'm not taking off marks for that one issue. I'm just happy I can watch a variety of shows streamed from Tversity on the WD TV. (A google search on Tversity will take you to the download site for that wonderful free to try program).
My previous media server, the D-Link DSM-320 D-Link DSM-320 Wireless Media Player, Audio/Photo/Video, 802.11g , is not nearly as nice... I spent hours and hours and hours (days) configuring it and getting it to ""see"" my home network. I also found the user menus to be very cumbersome with navigation almost an afterthought. In contrast, the WD TV is a dream come true and definitely feels like the ""next generation"" of media servers.
I've tried a number of video and music formats, and they've all played with no problem (except for the fast forward issue above). I watched a slide show of pictures stored on one of my computers. All of this without reading a single manual or going to a single internet help forum. Literally, plug and play.
So, overall, I'd say this is a strong unit, and I'm very happy with it. Since I am reviewing the unit much sooner than I normally would, I do commit to the Amazon community that if I experience issues with the WD TV I'll return to update this review. But based on my experience with other media servers and other hardware setups, I think this is a winner. Highly recommended.
Hope this helps!
UPDATE 11/12/2009: Almost a month later and I'm 1000% happy with this player... no issues. Works great... fast..great interface... I'm going to give one or two of these as holiday presents this year. I've replaced my DVR on my second TV and no longer pay the cable company $14 per month for a DVR... this little gizmo is going to pay for itself!
LAST UPDATE 12/5/2009: I was experiencing video freezing with Hulu using the Tversity software on my computer... I switched to Playon and am really glad I did! Flawless performance on Hulu streaming and TONS of content (i.e. you can watch tons of old TV shows like Dynasty and Mary Tyler Moore). Still very happy with this unit. I do agree with other reviewers - it would be nice if remote had a volume control, and some of the navigation screens are a bit ""clunky"" but overall very happy."
1,19_8_R3BCMWGJPVQ9K.txt,1.0,Eat Pray Shove (It),"February 16, 2008",Lynne701,"Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman's Search for Everything Across Italy, India and Indonesia (Hardcover)","Here is a book that either changed people's lives or irritated the bejesus out of them. Count me among the latter.
Eat Pray Love - One Woman's Search for Everything Across Italy, India and Indonesia by Elizabeth Gilbert was supposed to enlighten me. It didn't.
OK -- First the positive: Overall, it is a well-written book. The author takes many complicated metaphysical concepts and makes them readable. The book is divided into sections: Eat, which is the author's journey to Italy; Pray, her pilgrimage to India and Love, where she takes a lover in Bali.
This is about a thirty-something woman looking for spirituality and happiness. She is married, but desperately unhappy for no single reason that she cannot or will not divulge. So, she leaves her husband (and, by the way, gives him all marital property out of supposed ""guilt"" for leaving him, making me wonder what exactly she did to warrant this)and falls right into another relationship (a-ha! adultery, perhaps?). When the rebound relationship that broke up her marriage falls apart, she now wants to find God. Of course. She claims God spoke to her on the bathroom floor, thus beginning her journey.
But not before she goes to her publisher and secures a $200,000 advance for this book. Makes you wonder, as one reviewer on Amazon pointed out, was the journey retrofitted to the book proposal?
What better way to go find God than in Italy. For four months she eats gelato, practices her Italian with a young man named Luca Spaghetti (If you are going to make up names of allegedly real people, could you find a more sterotypical name? Why not Carmine OrganGrinder?) and gains 23 pounds -- quick to point out to the readers that she was way underweight to beign with.
She learns to enjoy life and be selfish from the Italians - who by the way still find her immensely attractive, although they don't hoot and holler at her like they did 10 years previously. But she is still so damned cute. Just ask her.
On to India. At the Ashram, she learns to meditate and still broods over her lost marriage and subsequent realtionship. Probably the most boring part of the book, except for her conversations with ""Richard from Texas"" -- a down home, larger than life character who speaks in folksy platitudes that would make Andy Griffith proud. He also bestows our author with her nickname ""Groceries"" because she was emaciated from grief from crying for the millionth time over her beloved David. As one reviewer from Amazon said, ""What kind of nickname is Groceries?""
I honestly believe she made these people up. Reminds me of ""Go Ask Alice"" -- supposedly the real story of the drug-addicted Anonymous -- until it was revealed that the protagonist was a fictitious composite of the author's psychiatric patients. Boo.
Then Bali. She ends her self-imposed celibacy with an older Brazilian man. High on orgasmic ecstasy, out of the supposed goodness of her heart, she asks her friends to send $18K in donations to help a single mother, an alleged friend of Ms. Gilbert's, who is portrayed as a con artist because she didn't buy a house in the timeframe coinciding with the termination of Ms. Gilbert's visa. I always thought that a gift should be a gift without strings attached -- especially coming from someone who supposedly found God. I wanted to ask Ms. Gilbert ""What Would Jesus Do?""
My biggest problem with this tome is that this 30-something woman basically is looking for applause for running off for a year, obstensibly supported by a $200K book advance, to ""find God."" I'm sure millions of women would love to leave their everyday lives and travel the world to do nothing but self analyze. If she had done volunteer work, I may have felt differently. If she went through some real hardship, I could sympathize. But she was in an incompatible marriage, then dumped by the guy she left her husband for. She should perhaps speak to those battling life-threatening diseases, or raising children alone, or taking care of an elderly parent, or worried about where their next meal is coming from.
And for all of her self-realization and navel-gazing to end her dependence on men, Ms Gilbert has, as pointed out by anotherAmazon reviewer, married her Brazilian and moved to new Jersey. She could have saved Penguin Books a whole lot of money by getting in her car and going through the Lincoln Tunnel. I wonder how long before she ends up back on the bathroom floor."
0,49_16_R231JCNDBU3F53.txt,5.0,seriously fabulous crib mattress,"April 15, 2008",M. Ingram,Naturepedic No Compromise Organic Cotton Classic 150 Crib Mattress (Baby Product),"My daughter slept better on this mattress the very first time that we put her down on it (and that's saying something, since she didn't want to sleep anywhere else but between us on our king size bed). It's been about 11 months since then, and she sleeps fabulously on this mattress. I can't recommend it highly enough.
I appreciate that it's organic - and that there are no harmful chemicals - and that it is still fire-resistant.
I think the coil system is far more comfortable than the foam (which she had before) - and it still provides extremely firm support.
It's pricey, yes, but the return to civilized life (a.k.a. when she started sleeping through the night) was worth just about any price.
I'm now about to buy a second one for my next baby!"
1,42_9_R3H4W0SZ67G8YL.txt,2.0,analyze the water,"April 26, 2008","Bartok Kinski ""A casual stroll through the lunatic asylum shows that faith does not prove anything.""",Military Water Purification Tablets (Misc.),"Did you analyze the water or just making generalizations (""it certainly removes harmful bacterial, cysts, and protozoa."")
Yeah, thought so."
0,17_6_R3378SCLJAR1XA.txt,5.0,I AM HOOKED...,"June 15, 2005",Lawyeraau,"Guilty Pleasures (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter: Book 1) (Paperback)","This book was highly recommended by a fellow Amazon reviewer whose tastes mirror my own. Not only did she give it an excellent review, when we spoke she sang its praises. So, I went and bought the book. After all, I had read books by Anne Rice, as well as Donna Boyd, and enjoyed them. So, obviously books about vampires and/or lycanthropes are hardly a stretch for me.
To my surprise, I was hooked once I began turning the pages of this book. It is a totally fun book to read, with its diminutive, feisty heroin, Anita Blake, a formidable vampire hunter who now focuses on being an animator, one who raises the dead. She lives in an alternate America where vampirism is legal, and vampires of the world are flocking to our shores. In good old St. Louis, Missouri, where our intrepid heroine lives, vampires live openly among humans and have developed a bizarre cult following. Of course, since killing vampires is against the law, Anita works closely with the police supernatural squad.
Someone, however, is killing vampires, and although the police is investigating, the most powerful vampire in the city, Nicholaos, a thousand year old being who is ensconced in the body of a beautiful pubescent girl, has commissioned her to find the killer. The reluctant Anita, who finds herself at odds with evil Nicholaos, finds an unexpected ally and friend in the handsome Jean-Claude, a two centuries old vampire for whom she feels an unexpected attraction and affinity.
Anita finds herself in a number of hair-raising situations as she seeks to discover the killer. Along the way she is plagued by vampires, wererats, ghouls, other animators, and fellow humans. The plot is fast-paced and intriguing. Its characters capture the reader's imagination. While most of them are not particularly well-fleshed, as it is basically a plot driven book, the main character, Anita Blake, is quite interesting, as well as compelling, and resonates with the reader.
The author manages to pull together a highly entertaining and enjoyable book. The style is part detective potboiler, part mystery, and part fantasy with supernatural portents. It carries the reader along from its first page to its last, never losing its momentum. In fact, it leaves the reader wanting more. Good thing that this is merely the first in a series of books about this intrepid vampire hunter, Anita Blake. I look forward to reading them all."
0,40_6_RK7UVOC6XO84N.txt,4.0,Few improvements but not enough.,"January 20, 2010",AAlt,BlackBerry Bold 9700 Phone (AT&T) (Wireless Phone),"I have been using this phone for about a week now. And while this device beats previous bold 9000 in many aspects there is still much to be improved. So let me first say things that I do like about the phone. Of course the greatest improvement was the addition of the trackpad, at first it was kind of unusual to navigate with it but I got accustomed to it very quickly. Second thing is the screen resolution, it was improved from the old bold by 480x360 vs 480x320 pixels. The screen is really crisp and bright and sunlight legibility is very decent. The camera also experienced an improvement and while I was taking pictures outside on a bright day and later comparing them to the previous bold, there is a very noticeable change, pictures look somewhat close to my wife's 10 megapixel canon camera. I was also surprised by the improved quality of the videos this device shoots. Much better and less pixelated than the original bold! Now for the things that I don't like or wished to be improved. Despite of the fact that everyone raves about ""amazing"" battery life on this device, I must say I am disappointed. At best, the battery lasts me a day and a half but not two day as many reviewers say. Perhaps I do extensive web browsing and chatting via instant messaging. I usually like to read various blogs and news on opera mini 5 browser and I noticed that this application along with IM+ drains battery like crazy! Of course at least now I don't have to carry a spare battery with me like it was with the previous bold since I am sure this one will last me for the full day. But most often I still have to charge it every night. Which is kind of a disappointment and not what I expected after reading various reviews. Now about the browser: It sucks.... It simply sucks so much that any other smartphone's browser will put it to shame. But another annoying problem now that I noticed is that I can't get to mobile version of citibank online at all! No matter how I would reconfigure the browser... So it means no banking online for me as I used to do on my previous bold. Very annoying... The browser is still slow as hell and only the fact that I have opera on this phone doesn't make it a deal breaker. I must say though that I am running a latest .405 version of the software and perhaps the issue with banking online maybe be fixed in later versions. Which I again, doubt very much. Now another disappointment is the absence of many supported languages. For example there is no Russian support whatsoever. But than again, it may be released in the later versions. I hope so. And now last but not least is the speaker quality. In the first day of use I noticed that the speaker has been downgraded. Instead of the three speakers which previous bold had, this device has only one and when you bring the volume all the way up you can hear a rattling noise. Not a very nice experience... Overall I like the device especially it's size, I was skeptical about it as I liked the bold 9000 big screen. But this one seems to be slim and looks more eye appealing. also I like the battery cover design, you can not accidentally open it and whole device seems sturdy and has a look of a professional tool. Hopefully with next updates there will be support for more languages. But as of now I am giving it only 3 stars.
UPDATE:
Couple of weeks ago I noticed that phone would randomly delete data, but today was the worst: In the morning I discovered that all my contacts were completely wiped out!!! by itself! And when I tried to restore them from the backup file it would not do that saying that the file is read only. I tried this file in my old curve 8310 and it worked flawlessly. So I suspect that there are serious bugs in the OS 5.0 and AT&T is not coming up with any updates as of yet. In a mean time I am lowering score for this phone because i am very disappointed by the poor implementation
UPDATE 2:
As five months passed since I got this phone, I must admit I like it much more than I did before. True, I still have some issues with it, but these issues are just too minor comparing to lots of useful features that this device delivers. Previously I wrote that it deleted all my contacts from the phone book, and last week it just happened again but I noticed that it happened after I added an another gmail account to the phone. So after I gooogled a bit I found out that gmail actually will sync your contacts with your gmail account but for some unknown reason remove them from the phone book. So basically all you have to do is to download google sync on your phone and transfer contacts back to the phone book. So I tend to believe that this issue has more to do with google gmail setup rather than the phone itself. Also the issue with the Citibank mobile site have resolved mysteriously, and now I am able to do banking through the native browser (which still sucks by the way in many aspects) I am also looking forward to the release of OS 6.0 which should include webkit browser with flash support and other new and exciting features. So I must say that ever since I got this phone it never crashed or restarted on me, not even a single time. So I must increase the rating of the phone to 4 stars as it's been a really great tool which I certainly can rely on in terms of usability and trust."
0,10_4_R1NKKXR9EF3UD0.txt,5.0,Good quality and authentic flavor,"May 15, 2009","Hyejin Lee ""Jennie""","Wholesome Sweeteners Organic Fair Trade Raw Honey, 16 Ounce Jars (Pack of 3) (Grocery)","I like rich texture not liquid.
It might be good to spread on the bread, or add a yogurt.
You can enjoy with tea"
0,37_6_R26C8EQ8R321S9.txt,5.0,These are great!,"May 1, 2009","TK ""TK""","YummyEarth Organic Lollipops, Assorted Flavors, 150-Count Container (Grocery)","I bought these for my niece who is autistic and she is on a strict gluten free, dairy free, dye free diet. She loves these! and so do the other kids who are not on this strict diet."
0,6_10_R70SX3C3GZ7UV.txt,4.0,Great Bag! Tons of space...,"July 9, 2010","Mr. Comfortable ""DPB""",Swiss Gear Ibex 17-Inch Notebook Backpack (Electronics),"Not only is this bag look and feel good, it has plenty of space for my 15"" widescreen laptop, files/folders, back up drive, all accessories, and wireless mouse...even has a number of exterior pockets for phone, water bottle, etc. Bag has nice padding in the back along with heavy duty straps and a sturdy top handle. All for a decent price."
0,25_10_R1S4G9LSFXLM1P.txt,5.0,A blast for little girls,"June 25, 2010",Rafa N.,Wii Remote MotionPlus Bundle - Pink (Accessory),"According to my Brother's Daughter, it is the best game controller she ever played with, the perfect color and lots of fun.
RN"
0,276426_5_R2JFTA7N93S6JI.txt,5.0,twilight series,"June 12, 2010","D. Knutson ""vamp girl""",The Twilight Saga Collection (Hardcover),I have to say that this entire series is one of my fvorites. Stephanie Myer bring an entire new angle to classic vampires love stories. She sheds new light and changes around old myths to make this an entirely new experience. I adore vampire stories of all kinds but these frankly are my favorite ever. You feel like you know the characters personally. While I do have the entire series of books I am greatly concidering buying the boxed set so I can have them all in hardound editions.
0,276426_4_R20Y16BCNX1SGM.txt,3.0,"I Believe in the LOA, but there are better Products",18 Mar 2010,"C. M. Cotton ""Chris Cotton""",The Secret (Extended Edition) [DVD] [2006] (DVD),"I have read 100's of very poor books on the Laws of Attraction in the last few years. I started reading books about goal setting, mind control and success principles in 1985. I have used what I learnt from my extensive reading, coupled with academic qualifications, business and psychology experience, to create a consulting company, teaching seminars to corporations in strategic thinking, marketing, goal setting and business development. I also use the principles to help individuals, by guiding them as a Life Coach, teaching people cognitive methods to help goal set and enhance their lives beyond what they could do on their own. As such, I read as many books as I can on a variety of subjects to enhance my knowledge. I can honestly say, that with all that experience, this DVD, is good as an introduction to the concept, BUT it is not as good as a book like Law of Attraction in Action, which I feel covers all bases needed for the LOA to work.
Many people in my experience cannot get the LOA to work, as they have too much OLD subconscious programming blocking the process. You can use the Sedona Method to unblock this old rubbish in the brain, but this DVD, does not cover this area. Also the second key to getting the LOA working, is to take ""Inspired Action"". This DVD seems to make the case for ""thinking will do it all"". ACTION, inspired by the dreams, working with a positive mental attitude, is what is needed. This DVD skips this vital part. The aforementioned book covers this area in great detail. I would also highly recommend Your Road Map to Success by John C Maxwell, as a great book to create a life purpose, from which you can use the LOA. There are other great books on the market that can help, but I recommend starting with these.
This DVD is a nice intro into LOA, but you need to do more reading in the areas I have highlighted, if you wish to get the LOA working in your life. Good DVD as far as it goes."
1,276423_3_R3825IJJACAHV5.txt,1.0,Might as well JUMP!,"February 24, 2003",chatchi,Moon Shoes - black (Toy),"Don't let the picture fool you, these shoes DO NOT make you jump as high as the moon. In fact, even the most highly-trained athlete wearing these shoes would only be able to jump as high as the clouds. While gravity and shoddy craftsmanship might limit your jumping potential, your imagination will allow you to leap to the stars! That's the best part about Black Moon Shoes -- it's not about how high you can or can't jump -- it's about how high you WANT to jump. So when it comes to using your imagination and developing important motor skills, Hart Enterprises' Black Moon Shoes are leaps and bounds above the competition."
1,1_13_R3JBEPN242VR6U.txt,1.0,Overhyped waste of time,"April 27, 2010",Zamdrang,Avatar (DVD),"I dont understand the hype and praise surrounding this film. The story is derivative and cliche beyond belief. There isnt a tense or emotional moment in the entire movie. Its pacing is laborious and predictable. Theres so many laughable things about this movie. (Hair as a phallic interface..are you kidding?) The entire story is Dances With Wolves on an alien planet. (Whos native population speak english...of course) The dialog is right up there with Armageddon and Independence Day, yes...pure genius.
Neon plants, hammerhead rhinos and glowing vines do not a movie make....its a dull story, VERY predictable and cringe worthy. I mean..""Get Some"" and ""Take that Bitch""..? Really? I havent laughed so hard since Battlefield Earth."
1,17_6_RGHFIPPFW7ALX.txt,1.0,Guilty Sins,"July 19, 2000",Amy Jo Samuel,Guilty Pleasures (Anita Blake Vampire Hunter) (Mass Market Paperback),"This is quite possibly the worst book I have ever read. To begin with, the story is blase, the world is never described, even the main character and her "powers" are not properly explored. The writing sounds like a cross between a smarty pants teenager with the fantasy of a nine year old wrapped into a very uncreative roleplayer who wanted to make a one-dimensional character fly into our hearts. WRONG. Even the writer losses her own consistency. Halfway through the story, I'm reading of the events taking place through a Saturday, and what happened to the characters earlier that morning was described as happening the day before. Am I the only person with it? How could the author and the editors have missed such a thing? All the characters actions were misplaced and the reasons, unmotivated. If you want to bore yourself, and spend the 7 bucks it takes to read to the witless dialogue and waste the rest of your time trying to grasp the very underdevloped world of Hamilton's, please go to the library, or else you'll hate yourself. I instead suggest sitting infront of the TV on Tuesdays and watching some Buffy. It's a much better portrayal of the supernatural, with smart, intelligent characters and writing to boot."
0,34_12_R1Q509NYUJ3K5O.txt,5.0,We love this lawnmower!!,"March 10, 2006",G. Anderson,Fisher-Price Bubble Mower (Toy),"My son received this for his 2nd birthday a few weeks ago. He loves to mow just like his dad and is always asking to go outside to use his very own lawnmower. He even takes it with us on walks around the neighborhood. We have not had any problems with bubbles- you just have to push it continuously to get good bubbles. You won't get any bubbles if you only walk a step or two then stop. However, he loves it even when there are no bubbles- he just wants to mow. I love it because it is sturdy and not at all annoying like some other (talking) mowers on the market. I would absolutely recommend this toy!!"
1,46_12_R1UNQM7FPDC0MG.txt,1.0,Another writer with deadline issues,"May 9, 2010","Elizabeth Archer ""Eliza""","Dead in the Family (Sookie Stackhouse, Book 10) (Hardcover)","Sorry to see Charlaine Harris join the list of writers who are so driven by deadline pressure they can't create. Remember what we all learned in elementary school, faced with that blank sheet of paper? You can't just order up creativity and expect it to be good. This is the third one of my favorite authors with series pressure to dissapoint. Beware when an author thanks so many other people for their ""help""! Last time I looked, most great fiction was not written by a committee. Harris is brilliant, when Harris is writing. This looked like an outline, with some help from Harris and a lot of suggestions from other people. People saying, write about Alcide. Write about politics. Write about fairy politics, etc. There is no plot, no main conflict, no main resolution, no basic novel elements. And we know Harris can write one hell of a plot when she is on her game. I would rather the publisher just said ""Harris has writer's block"" than churn out this overpriced drivel with her name on it. I would be willing to wait. And tell the darn committee to leave her alone."
0,6_16_R3N8XGCHUFA1BU.txt,5.0,Impressed,"May 13, 2010",H. F. Sawatzky,Factory-Reconditioned Bostitch U/CPACK1850BN 18-Gauge Brad Nailer and Compressor Combo Kit (Tools & Hardware),Just opened up the box and I was impressed. The nailer and compressor both look like new. Plugged the thing in and slid in a sleeve of nails and started looking for something to test the nailer. Works awesome although my workbench now has a row of brads in it. I'll give the compressor a workout next weekend when I shingle my folks roof. Looking forward to it already.
0,43_14_R226U96JQLIP8C.txt,5.0,Awesome footage and naration supports very well,"July 11, 2010",Rich,Life (DVD),"Unbelievable video footage that is complimented by the narrator. Interesting information. Well worth repeated viewing. Only criticism I would have is there is some repetition. Otherwise, fantastic. My four-year-old son loves watching this constantly."
0,16_3_RZYHUEM3T7Q0Y.txt,5.0,all right by me !!!,"October 13, 2007",Matthew G. Sherwin,"BIC Cristal Stic Ball Pen, Medium Point , 1.0 mm, Blue, 12 Pens (MS11-Blu) (Office Product)","Bic makes terrific blue ink pens; I remember writing many a paper for college using pens like these before computers came along. Bic calls these pens ""medium point"" but the ink is quite clear on the page. The blue ink lasts for months--unless you write a lot with these every day in which case they will last a shorter amount of time.
The pens are compact and easy to carry with you; this makes them easy to carry because they are so lightweight. The pens are made of plastic with a see through ink tube inside them. The advantage of the see through ink tube is that you can tell when the pen is running low on ink--a great feature!
As nerdy as it sounds, gentlemen can easily carry one or two in their shirt pockets. I would keep the cap on, of course.
Actually, I would keep the cap on at all times when not using this pen. The ink still inside the pen can dry out rather quickly without the cap being on them. Moreover, you don't want ink to leak out of the pen and make nasty ink stains.
Overall, if you want an inexpensive pen that still gives you high quality writing ink, you can't go wrong with these pens by Bic. I have used them for decades with great satisfaction.
I highly recommend these pens for anyone wanting an inexpensive but good quality blue ink pen."
0,19_3_RVCE8OLDQ8Q1T.txt,5.0,Eloquent Poniards,"September 20, 2000","A. Casalino ""V^^^^^V""",The Lion in Winter [VHS] (VHS Tape),"This sharply portrayed and picturesque film is no less than a stunning masterpiece! Finely capturing the gusting momentum of a kingdom and its contending rule, all the while bootying the intricacies of family passion & strife, this movie grasps all by masterfully portraying it within the frame of a Christmas holiday spent at the beauteous castle of Chinon. The year is 1183, and Henry II, insatiate King of the British Empire summons forth his family: his wife - Queen Eleanor of Aquitaine, and their surviving sons Richard, Geoffery, and John. They meet at Chinon - and like every gathering of this family must always have been, this meeting is momentous ~ James Goldman wholeheartedly deserved the Oscar he won for this screenplay -- for, not only is it in tune to every orchestral note of this history, but it is also precise as a dagger in its eloquence ~~ I've rarely heard a more masterful script portrayed on film! Such a prodigious screenplay must needs have a brilliant cast and musical score to give it flesh and blood -- and herein you'll find it most heartily delivered! Katharine Hepburn is absolutely stellar in her portrayal of perhaps one of the most fascinating women in history: the much-acknowledged "Queen of Love" throughout Europe before she became Queen of France, fighting in the Crusades alongside her husband Louis VII of France - and then Queen of England, wife of Henry II, who had imprisoned her for many years for joining her sons in plots against him. Henry would free her at times for such holiday family gatherings as this. Hepburn's scenes with Peter O'Toole, as Henry, are pure electrically-charged art! As King and Queen, parents to the three aspired heirs to the throne, they lay blame and conspire against each other, and their sons will stop at nothing to acquire what they each feel that they deserve: succession to the throne. To add to this tangled web of deceit are the young King Phillip of France and his sister, Alice, who had been raised in the household of King Henry, betrothed to Richard since her infancy. While Eleanor and her sons each plot with the French King, Henry openly exhibits his ongoing love affair with Alice~~ The chemistry of this well-casted drama is flawless - every line spoken a masterpiece of wit and daring. This movie is a rare find, indeed!"
0,32_5_R2UFHVXTETJUJ1.txt,4.0,awsome but......,"March 25, 2010",A. Gift For You,Austin Bazaar Full Size Dreadnought Guitar with Carrying Bag and Accessories - Pink,it was relly nice and it sounded great the only resson i gave i four its guitar pick were nice but a little to big for my 12 year old dauter and me i would get some better guitar picks
0,15_3_RFC37HBXJF2LP.txt,5.0,Cool tunes!,"July 22, 2009","Deborah Lawrence ""Honest reviewer!""",True Blood (Audio CD),This is a very cool CD. I love the music. It is so different and interesting. Every song is good. I love it!
1,49_2_R3K5ZH61DYQ5L3.txt,3.0,Not as good as Season One,"September 9, 2009",Grymdycche,True Blood: The Complete Second Season (HBO Series) (DVD),"While this is still a very good show, it's already come dangerously close to jumping the shark (jumping the Sook?), in just it's second season. I wanted to give it 3 1/2 stars but that's not possible here. I just couldn't bring myself to give it four, so I went with three.
For starters, the show has veered much too far off on a tangent concerning the Maenad Maryann, and many, many viewers have been frustrated by it. Too little time was spent on the vampires of Dallas, which I found to be far more interesting. Too much attention was also spent on the Jason/Fellowship of the Sun arc, which was a deviation from the book series. All in all, there was too much ""filler"" to get to the good stuff.
The penultimate episode (#11, ""Frenzy"") was a disconcerted illogical mess with few highlights, and the portrayal of the vampire Queen of Louisiana, despite Evan Rachel Ward's beauty, left much to be desired, for whatever reasons. I think Holly Valance, who played ""Lola"" in the (now regrettably defunct) Moonlight episode ""B.C"" would've worked out better. ""Frenzy"" is widely regarded as by far the worst episode of the series so far, for various reasons.
Still, inevitably, many characters have been been interestingly further fleshed out from the first season, adding depth to the series; notably, Eric, Pam, Sam, Jason, Tara and her mother, but mostly the effervescent Lafayette, played by the very talented Nelsan Ellis. While many deviations from the books have been made, some good, some bad, the decision to keep the character of Lafayette alive was definitely a good move. We also get to see, briefly, the darker, more powerful side of Eric. Anna Paquin is playing the role she was born to play, she just shines in her role as Sookie, and all in all, the cast is amazing, despite some lapses in judgement this year from the writing staff."
0,30_12_R1G4HHSGL5KG0Z.txt,5.0,Still the best!,"October 1, 2009","Julian A. Schulz ""Julian""",Paranormal State: The Complete Season Three (DVD),"If your interested in the paranormal, this series will not let you down.
The various cases are interesting, Buell & his cast actually have screen presence by just being themselves, and the outcome of each episode is not always predictable.
I've viewed Ghost Adventures & Ghost Hunters, and similar themed programs, yet none have the overall appeal this series consistently offers.
As i pre-ordered ""Season three,"" here on Amazon, i was also knocked out by the low, low price!
You simply can't go wrong for value & entertainment."
0,30_13_R1EXPDBC1H528A.txt,5.0,Congress hasn't been a good steward of the People's Business for quite awhile - here's how they are failing us,"June 18, 2007",Craig Matteson,"Outrage: How Illegal Immigration, the United Nations, Congressional Ripoffs, Student Loan Overcharges, Tobacco Companies, Trade Protection, and Drug Companies Are Ripping Us Off . . . And (Hardcover)","I don't know anyone who loves Dick Morris. Some people hate him and cannot hear anything he says. Just bringing up his name upsets them to the point of unreason. Yet, if one can simply consider what he has to say it is usually interesting and often worthwhile even if you strongly disagree with what he has to say. This is because he really does understand how our political emotions work and the kinds of issues that provoke the electorate to action. Whether or not he actually believes what he is saying on behalf of a politician or about an issue is not all that relevant. Personal convictions often wither under the hot sun of political campaigns. Even so, this book seems to be more about the frustrations Morris and McGann share with us about how both the Democrats and the Republicans are failing us in Congress.
His take on the immigration problem is actually quite fresh. Rather than focusing only on the border with Mexico, he points out that at least half the problem, and the more serious failure in preventing another 9/11, is the millions who overstay their visas. They come in legally, but fail to leave as required. Since we do not track who leaves the country it is all but impossible to find out who is here in violation of their visas! Morris says that we not only need to begin tracking those who leave so we can get some idea who remains, but we also need to bar all immigration from those countries that are designated as sponsors and supporters of terror.
The United Nations and its many failures and scandals are examined next. Morris and McGann show us why there is absolutely no motivation within the United Nations to behave well and how the organization's structure actually promotes human rights failures by putting the worst violators on the committees that are supposed to monitor and take action against situations such as Rwanda and Darfur. The authors also show us how Oil For Food was used by Saddam to not only line his own pockets at the expense of his people, but corrupted the political choices many of those nations who made our work in Iraq more difficult before the war, leading up to the war, during the war, and in helping Iraq build its own government.
The efforts within the ACLU to suppress public criticism by its leaders of its leadership and policies are actually quite humorous and sad. It is hypocrisy of the first order and something more people need to be aware of when dealing with this organization that views itself as the final arbiter of our rights and social order. They need to be exposed more fully and we need organizations to resist and balance them more than we have now.
Chapter four is the big biggest because it is where the authors expose the problems in Congress with travel, using family members to convert campaign contributions to cash, using family as lobbyists, and how little time they put in working on the people's business. Morris and McGann pull no punches and name names from both parties. This chapter alone makes reading this book worthwhile. However upset with Congress you are now, you will be more angry after reading and thinking about the facts presented here.
We also get chapters on how the Patriot Act and the NSA ""wiretapping"" (actually data mining) have helped in the War on Terror, how the teacher unions are actually hurting our efforts to educate our children (not the teachers - the UNIONS), how big pharma is spending huge money on Congress to keep their billions in profits flowing in, and how Fannie Mae is misusing its mandate and money to support many Democrat causes.
Morris and McGann then do an excellent job in going after the Republicans for the bankruptcy bill that prevents people such as those suffering from cancer and oceans of medical bills from getting a fresh start. The credit companies also basically shove credit on people they know shouldn't have it and then want to avoid the risks of these bad business practices and keep these folks more or less permanently enslaved to them. The authors also go after the terrible changes Congress made to the student loan programs.
We also get information about how insurance companies are trying to get out of the hurricane Katrina claims by saying they would pay for wind damage, but not water damage. Right. How do you get a hurricane without water damage? I have been in a hurricane. The water is a fundamental part of the storm. Why should we allow them to get away with this?
We also get a chapter on how some tobacco companies, even after all the bad exposure and supposed settlements and public humiliation are STILL raising the nicotine levels in their cigarettes. There is also a chapter on how Gerhard Schroeder and Jacques Chirac have acted in quite corrupt ways. The final chapter is how Congress yields to special interests and trade protections in the name of saving jobs. These saved jobs cost us many hundreds of thousands of dollars each. And they also drive industries out of the country. For example, any number of candy companies have moved production to Canada and elsewhere so they can buy sugar at the world price and remain competitive rather than keeping the plants and jobs in the U.S. and paying more than twice the world price for sugar.
This book should tap into the current disgust the majority of Americans rightly feel for Congress. We should be rotating even more of them out in 2008 and hope the material here gets people motivated to do just that."
0,34_11_R33545PT2IGAL5.txt,4.0,Following the light in Bright Falls,"July 9, 2010","H. Robert Hastings ""Robert R. Hastings""",Alan Wake (Video Game),"Remedy Entertainment announced Alan Wake all the way back in 2005 during the annual Electronic Entertainment Expo. Since then it's popped on and off of people's radars at sparing intervals, and now that it's finally been released, it seems as if Duke Nukem Forever should be only just around the corner. It can then only be described as fortunate that with such a long development period, Alan Wake has turned out to be a compelling and rewarding title to experience.
The game's protagonist holds the title's namesake, and is presented as a highly-successful suspense-thriller novelist who -- with due thanks to an extended case of writer's block -- hasn't managed to put words to paper in the two years since his last release. He and his wife Alice take off to the quaint town of Bright Falls, nestled within the mountains, in an effort to get away from the fast-paced New York lifestyle, and to give Alan a change of scenery and a chance to get over his ailment. After a brief argument between the two, Wake's wife disappears, and the writer begins finding pages to a manuscript for a novel he hasn't written yet. What's worse is that the horrors scribed into the document begin occurring in earnest, and all of this sets off a mystery that's much bigger than Alan Wake himself.
The driving force here is undoubtedly the unyielding fiction backing the whole of the package. There's nothing particularly profound about the narrative, but the means through which it's delivered is striking. The main bits of Alan Wake's story occur through traditional cutscenes, but you as the player will come across transcript pages, radios, and televisions, all of which will give tremendous insight into the past, present, and even future events surrounding your actions. It's not impossible to grasp the entirety of the plot's intricacies without these easter eggs of information, but there's no doubt that they assist incalculably with coloring in the dark and dreary world that would otherwise only be outlined.
There are some very story-centric portions of the game that take place during the daylight hours, but you'll spend the bulk of your time transversing Bright Falls and its outlying woodlands by night. That's when all the spooky stuff happens. There are these dark-enshrouded creatures called the Taken, and there isn't a single one of them that would pass up an opportunity at putting an axe in Wake's spinal column. Fortunately they do have a weakness, that being anything fluorescent in nature, and resultingly you'll spend a lot of time fumbling around with a flashlight. There's nothing overly complex about the gunplay; burn away the darkness surrounding the Taken, and pop them a couple of times with a weapon of choice. There are bigger, badder enemies, but the only variation they apply is the longevity of your aforementioned actions.
It's the simplicity and redundancy of the combat that serve as Alan Wake's only real drawback. Nothing about how you dispose of your night-stalkers ever really changes through the game's ten hour run. There's some stronger enemies, some faster ones, and even some malevolent demon crows to dispatch of. There are some possessed objects that'll fly at you, and a few pieces of heavy farm equipment that make it their sole duty to run you down, but the process undergone to remove the threat is essentially the same regardless. This isn't to say that there's no fun to be had with the shooting; you've got plenty of ways to make things entertaining for yourself, from flare guns, to flashbang grenades, to hunting rifles. But if simply switching out your weapons every once in a while doesn't help you in disguising the action, you're likely to find yourself a little burned out with the repetitive temperament of the rather frequent combat encounters.
There's a thin layer of visual fidelity coating the town of Bright Falls, but all of that mostly emerges during the odd daylight segment. Everything looks pretty good at best, passable at worst. There's some stiffness and irregularities to the character motions, especially when you tell Wake to climb just about anything. The characters usually aren't all that prone at keeping their lips synced with the excellent voice acting, which is distracting during cutscenes.
Where the game is at its best is when it has free aim to showcase its lighting effects. I'm still not sure if they're the best I've seen in a game, or if it just seems that way given how much of a staunch presence they have in the world. Headlights, street lamps, and even the gentle blinking of a computer terminal all stand as beacons of attention as you wander through the roads and forests. You'll even find that bounding through certain of these restore Wake's health and trigger a checkpoint. These effects all invite a sense of hope and an even stronger sense of environment into a world where your primary enemy does its best to conceal both.
It's the strong deliverance of the narrative and a clear sense of place that lend their hand to making Alan Wake the game that it is. The constant conflict with the Taken eventually leaves something to be desired, but that just makes it all the more baffling that the game can get away with being as compelling as it is. There's a good time to be had with Remedy's latest, and there's little to regret about spending the full duration and seeing it through to the end. Just be sure and pack an extra flashlight and revolver, because Wake always seems to be forgetting his."
1,36_3_R3J7O2KZVC1NDW.txt,4.0,Good for a laugh,"February 24, 2007",Senator Logan,"He-Man and the Masters of the Universe - Season One, Vol. 1 (DVD)","Its funny to look back on the cartoons you loved as a kid and wonder why they captivated you so much. Watching it now, I'm really not sure why. Now its just hilarious. The dialogue is terrible and the amount of overtly homoeroticsm in these cartoons boils way over the top. There's one part where robotic villian, Lockjaw, struggles to find a suitable weapon for his detachable arm, and in doing so makes grunting noises and rapidly moves his arm up and down, which looks alot like a struggle of a much different kind. Just one example. I mean, c'mon! Look at Prince Adam's or He-Man's attire! Pink shirt and Purple leotards! Furry short shorts with boots! Shoulder length blond hair! Then you go through the special features and hear the creator talk, you can definitely see that the guy is gay. I mean, no problem with that, it just adds to the comedy of it all. If you have a sense of humor about these kind of things, than this cartoon is for you."
1,49_14_R16R2OQYL10YD.txt,1.0,Whack!,"December 22, 2008",G. Flores,"Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job!: Season 2 (DVD)","No way, Bra!
Tim and Eric is a whack rip off of the Jim and Derrick show, fool. Let me break it down for you, yo. Jim and Derrick be hella tight , yo. And stuff. Like hot chicks and hella mad whacks! Suck, swallow, release! Beahhtch! I saw Derrick Whipple in da flesh at Turbo Fuel Skatepark in Frisco, yo. He was doing mad tricks and hos, yo. That skit with the bunny and the honey had me cryin', yo. Fools always be tryin to git out of payin up, you know, yo. Bra. Anyway, I gotta run dawgs. I gotta go smoke outta my new pipe I just got for my 13th birfday. Me and my boy, tony, are gonna head down to brown town and find some herb and rolos. Peace, bra. Oh no you didn't! ha ha! Peace. You just got reviewed!"
1,19_11_RCH4DJ0H38CV8.txt,5.0,May have Hatched. Don't Know What Came Out.,"November 17, 2009",A Trustworthy Human,Guardian Angel (Health and Beauty),"It's in here somewhere. With me.
Woke up this morning to find that my Guardian Angel had shattered. The inside was slimy and green. Moments later, heard a skittering sound behind some furniture. Found that during the night, phone lines had been cut, and all the doors and windows are shut with some kind of Super Glue like substance. My cell phone has been smashed. I can't get out. It didn't cut the cable internet, so I've got online to warn you, don't buy the guarslkdj;al b bbbbbbbbbbbbbb,,,,,,,,,,,wke;lj
feeling better now. Everything is fine. I will be sending a Guardian Angel to all of it's friends, family, neighbors, and associates. All humans must get one. Five stars. The most relaxing experience ever. I will never have another worry ever again after buying this product, and you will feel total fulfillment in service of a force infinitely greater than yourself. Buy it. You will never know pain after you feel the slight pinching at the back of your skull."
0,6_5_RUX5VM463NTXJ.txt,5.0,Love Among The Damned,"February 25, 2005","Gary F. Taylor ""GFT""",Wuthering Heights (Bantam Classics) (Mass Market Paperback),"Published in 1847, WUTHERING HEIGHTS was not well received by the reading public, many of whom condemned it as sordid, vulgar, and unnatural--and author Emily Bronte went to her grave in 1848 believing that her only novel was a failure. It was not until 1850, when WUTHERING HEIGHTS received a second printing with an introduction by Emily's sister Charlotte, that it attracted a wide readership. And from that point the reputation of the book has never looked back. Today it is widely recognized as one of the great novels of English literature.
Even so, WUTHERING HEIGHTS continues to divide readers. It is not a pretty love story; rather, it is swirling tale of largely unlikeable people caught up in obsessive love that turns to dark madness. It is cruel, violent, dark and brooding, and many people find it extremely unpleasant. And yet--it possesses a grandeur of language and design, a sense of tremendous pity and great loss that sets it apart from virtually every other novel written.
The novel is told in the form of an extended flashback. After a visit to his strange landlord, a newcomer to the area desires to know the history of the family--which he receives from Nelly Deans, a servant who introduces us to the Earnshaw family who once resided in the house known as Wuthering Heights. It was once a cheerful place, but Old Earnshaw adopted a ""Gipsy"" child who he named Heathcliff. And Catherine, daughter of the house, found in him the perfect companion: wild, rude, and as proud and cruel as she. But although Catherine loves him, even recognizes him as her soulmate, she cannot lower herself to marry so far below her social station. She instead marries another, and in so doing sets in motion an obsession that will destroy them all.
WUTHERING HEIGHTS is a bit difficult to ""get into;"" the opening chapters are so dark in their portrait of the end result of this obsessive love that they are somewhat off-putting. But they feed into the flow of the work in a remarkable way, setting the stage for one of the most remarkable structures in all of literature, a story that circles upon itself in a series of repetitions as it plays out across two generations. Catherine and Heathcliff are equally remarkable, both vicious and cruel, and yet never able to shed their impossible love no matter how brutally one may wound the other.
As the novel coils further into alcoholism, seduction, and one of the most elaborately imagined plans of revenge it gathers into a ghostly tone: Heathcliff, driven to madness by a woman who is not there but who seems reflected in every part of his world--dragging her corpse from the grave, hearing her calling to him from the moors, escalating his brutality not for the sake of brutality but so that her memory will never fade, so that she may never leave his mind until death itself. Yes, this is madness, insanity, and there is no peace this side of the grave or even beyond.
It is a stunning novel, frightening, inexorable, unsettling, filled with unbridled passion that makes one cringe. Even if you do not like it, you should read it at least once--and those who do like it will return to it again and again.
GFT, Amazon Reviewer"
1,42_1_R2HXVIKJY27SHC.txt,5.0,Best Watch Ever!,"November 27, 2009",Jon McAwesome,Zenith Men's 96.0529.4035/51.M Defy Xtreme Tourbillon Titanium Chronograph Watch (Watch),"The Zenith Men's Defy Xtreme Tourbillon Titanium Chronograph Watch or Z.M.D.X.T.B.T.C.M. as I like to call it, is by far the most awesome watch. Chuck Norris riding into the Super Bowl on the back of Godzilla and round house kicking the crowd is no where near as awesome as this priceless poon magnet. When I was just moments from sending my $100k to some needy neo-hippie help group, I stumbled onto this gem. It was like the heavens opened and Jesus himself appeared with this same watch on. I mean how can you not follow Jesus when he's rocking a watch of this caliber. So I asked ""What would Jesus do?"" Jesus pimp smacked me and said ""Forget those hippies, buy the watch!"" I was like ""HECK YEAH."" I busted out my Discover card and bought this rocking piece of art. I mean its art but its also practical too. Like when I take my summer trips to the Marianas Trench, I have no more worries that I am going to miss Tea Time back on the yacht, because water ruined my watch again. It can withstand the immense pressures of the deep due to the wicked awesome titanium. Deep seas, cant beat this. Bullets cant beat this. Heck, I can deflect cruise missiles and the apocalypse. With a watch like this you don't need to tell time, you tell people what time it is."
1,17_1_R2NR6PNN0JXMRI.txt,1.0,yukkkkkkkkkkk,"November 1, 2003","Thomas J. Wands ""tomwands""",Mr. Beer Premium Edition Home Microbrewery System (Kitchen),"I made several batches of beer with a variety of mixes, waters and techniques. All resulting in a barely drinkable malt beverage (I refuse to use the term beer). Even though I changed up the mixes and used different recipes every batch tasted the same. Ben Franklin once said "Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy". The product produced by my Mr Beer was proof that the devil exists and he likes to play jokes on us."
0,13_8_R20V0KLHMC0PQ6.txt,5.0,great first step,"January 12, 2009",S. Chandrasekar,Panasonic Lumix DMC-G1 12.1MP Micro Four Thirds Interchangeable Lens Digital Camera with Lumix G Vario 14-45 mm f/3.5-5.6 ASPH Mega OIS Lens (Black) (Electronics),"For those who don't know, the Panasonic G1 is the first (of hopefully many) camera that adheres to the new micro 4/3 format. What is so exciting about it? All SLR cameras use mirrors, prisms, and optical viewfinders so that the photographer can see what his/her subject ""through the lens."" SLRs have remained the defacto standard for most serious photographers because most find the whole viewfinder concept so appealing. The micro 4/3 does away with the mirrors and prisms, and replaces the optical viewfinder of SLRs with an electronic viewfinder. This allows the cameras that adhere to the standard to be much smaller (and wideangle lenses designed for this mount to be smaller as well). Onto the real review...
The EVF on the G1 is the first that I've seen that is remotely usable. While not as good as the OVF in my 5D, it is considerably better than the OVF in my older 350D. The first look through the EVF will impress anyone who hasn't used a Full-Frame camera before. While there is a noticeable lag (particularly when moving the camera around...a delay of a 10th of a second maybe), the fact that you can see a live histogram in the VF makes the lag completely worthwhile. Even better, the VF can increase the gain of the screen in darker conditions so you can actually see what you are shooting (it does get grainy, but it is better than seeing nothing at all). Finally, when you engage Manual Focus, the view in the EVF zooms in on your subject automatically which allows for perfect manual focus adjustments every time!! Without a doubt, this is the best interchangeable lens camera on the market if you are interested in manually focusing.
The articulating LCD is another design choice that is spot-on!! Why haven't other manufacturers caught on that ""live view"" is completely useless without an articulating LCD? Switching from the LCD to the EVF is as simple as putting your eye next to the viewfinder. There is a sensor there that detects when it is being used. The LCD doesn't have the super resolution of the new 5DMkII or the D700, but it has twice the resolution of my older 5D.
So is the camera pocketable? Not a chance. However, it isn't much bigger than the larger (with its kit lens) than modern superzoom Point&Shoot cameras. I bought it because I found that I was leaving my 5D (with 24-70 f/2.8) at home more often than not because i didn't want to carry so much weight. The G1, in comparison, is a joy to hold and carry. For me, the size is just right. Any smaller and the controls would be unusably small. Any larger and the camera would begin to resemble smaller DSLRs. Side Note: The kit lens has to be seen to be believed...it is SO small. Even the 45-200 lens (90-400) isn't much bigger than kit lenses for APS-C or FF cameras (let alone comparing it to the monstrous 100-400 lens that canon makes).
Noise is reasonable. I wouldn't go past ISO1250 for prints with the G1. ISO1600 and 3200 are more than useable for web viewing (which is how a majority of my pics are displayed). I never really understood how printable ISO6400 prints are suddenly required for every camera...how many people actually print a large number of images anyways? Downsized to Facebook or Picasaweb sizes, I would imagine that a ISO6400 G1 image would be more than adequate.
What I don't like is the lack of any large aperture lenses for the format. You can buy adapters to use standard 4/3 lenses but the older 4/3 lenses are likely larger than their future micro43 counterparts (and AF doesn't work with many of them). Adapters also exist for Leica M mount (I'm trying to convince my fiance that leica lenses are a better investment than the stock market right now...but I don't think that she is buying it). The depth of field for micro43 is already larger due to the smaller sensor so it will be hard to get subject isolation in photographs until large aperture prime lenses become available.
I'm really excited about the future of this format. Panasonic has promised a G1HD someone in the first half of this year (a G1 with video capabilities). In addition, 3 new lenses have been announced: a 7/14 f/4, a 14-140, and best of all a 20 mm f/1.7 pancake! Olympus also showed off a concept of a micro43 camera that looked no bigger than a small point&shoot. The future is exciting!"
0,27_3_R20PSFN13OIUD3.txt,4.0,Anything but a Cop Out.,"February 26, 2010","Andrew Estes ""Mr. Censored""",Cop Out (DVD),"Kevin Smith's first directing gig that he didn't write himself, ""Cop Out,"" finds the director re-teaming with his Live Free or Die Hard co-star, Bruce Willis, as well as Tracy Morgan and Seann William Scott, who were both featured in his 2001 film and quite possibly the biggest inside-joke put to film, Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back .
More than that, though, the film is a brilliant throwback to the glory days of such 80's buddy cop franchises as Lethal Weapon and Beverly Hills Cop . You'll recognize key dialog from the former while the composer for the latter, Harold Faltermeyer, makes a glorious return to the genre with a quirky retro score that sets the mood just right. Bruce Willis plays the straight-man to Tracy Morgan's...well...Tracy Morgan is really just playing every character he's ever played here, but the way in which he bounces off of Willis (who himself seems to be trying hard to keep a straight face in many scenes) keeps it from feeling tired or stale. While this odd-couple/cop formula has been done to death in the past, it works for this film and is done in a loving way that pays tribute rather than re-hashes.
Smith, whose films are mostly talk, proves himself to be a competent action director at times throughout the film. It's funny to think that the man who made Clerks made a polished studio film such as this, but it's a sign of maturity more than selling-out, so rest easy fanboys. The script by Mark & Robb Cullen is whip-smart, witty and never leaves you longing for a laugh. Even if you don't gel with the story about a rare baseball card landing into the lap of a high-powered drug-lord, you'll always find yourself laughing along with the film. It also helps, too, that each and every player seems to have had a good time making the film, and that translates into the final result.
One could make the argument that Smith himself could have re-written the film and made it all the funnier, but much of the humor in the film comes from the on-screen chemistry. It's about as good of an 80's buddy cop throwback as you'll get, and is rounded out with a brilliant cast that also includes Guillermo Diaz, Kevin Pollak, Adam Brody and Jason Lee, among others. Go into expecting a simple yet effective way of just how fun an action movie can be. As for Smith, he's shown significant range, and hopefully the film will help break him out from just being the guy who directed those Jay & Silent Bob flicks. Thankfully, ""Cop Out"" is anything but."
1,34_8_R2IJ3EJOCJDUDQ.txt,1.0,"If you thought the TV show Friends was FABULOUS, you'll love this....","September 13, 2005",Liza,Can You Keep a Secret? (Hardcover),"But if not, you'll be bored silly by this book. I know I was. I've rarely stopped reading a book before reaching the end, but I was sooo close with this one. The only reason I kept reading was because of all the 5 star ratings I saw here. I thought, surely, it must get better. It has to! I was waiting for all the 'laugh out loud' moments that everyone was talking about but they never appeared. My advice: if you're not laughing away midway through, abandon ship! It doesn't get any better. In fact it gets worse.
To be honest, I tend to read more serious stuff. I've read a couple really great 'chick lit' books but this one really falls short. I picked it up at the library in search of a quick light read. I didn't find it such a quick read because I just couldn't get into it. And yes, it's light but really dull and well, for me anyway, boring.
Where do I start with what I disliked about this book? The characters are flimsy caricatures -- completely unbelievable and they're all so irritatingly thick. The dialogue never really goes anywhere. Emma has this completely irritating habit of starting every other sentence with ""er, uh, um...."" Whatever laughs there are are so belaboured that they're just not funny anymore. For instance, the big scene where Jack spews all of Emma's secrets & her colleagues respond in shock to every single darned one goes on for some 4 pages ('You're really a size 6?' 'You have a Barbie bedspread?' 'You hate crochet?' bla bla bla...) Boy, funny stuff. You already know what all of them are anyway, so there's just no sense of suspense or tension. And in general, you know what's going to happen ages before it does, so as I was reading I kept thinking 'oh come on, get on with it already!' I found the writing style just plain flat and uninspiring. There's just no depth of any kind. Worst of all, the plot line is so contrived. I completely get why Emma would think she was 'madly' in love with Jack after just a couple dates but what's Jack's deal? Are we really supposed to believe that some multi-millionaire CEO would fall in love with this ditzy, dim junior employee who is easily what, 20 years his junior? Riiiight. And Jack's 'big secret'? Now THAT made me laugh because it was just soo silly! And the sappy ending? Yuck!
Sorry, I just could not recommend this one unless you were shipwrecked on an deserted island with absolutely positively nothing else to do and even then, maybe not. I truly am baffled by all the rave reviews here. It reads more like a teen novel than something for adults -- very, very, very sophmoric. Anyway, you get the point. I really didn't like it.
I would, however, like to recommend 2 other chick lit books that surpass this one by miles. The Other Side of the Story by Marian Keyes is an incredibly witty, smart, sparkly, genuine laugh-out-loud book. I couldn't put it down and although it's long, I was disappointed when I was done because I wanted more. Girl's Poker Night by Jill Davis is another very funny, very bright book. Both of these books are everything I think this one hoped to be."
1,43_7_R2DK1R3WC73V3Q.txt,5.0,As good as Twilight!!!!,"April 14, 2010",Smashville from Nashville,Holy Bible: Stock Car Racing (Paperback),"All my life, I've been looking for the one thing that would turn me to religion...and BEHOLD! I found it...
Instead of boooooring pictures of the Last Supper and the probable locations of holy sites, I get AWESOME pictures of crashes and and cars going in circles! I could practically smell the burning rubber and see the girls in halter tops firing cheap t-shirts out of a cannon at me...all the while learning who begat Bathsheba! (SPOILER ALERT: It was Eliam)
There is no better feeling than cracking open a six-pack on a Sunday morning and sitting down and reading my Stock Car bible. Because if there's one thing religion needs...it's definitely DRAFTING!"
0,1_7_R1V1O60V01GACW.txt,4.0,A comedy full of laughs and action,"February 25, 2010",C. Sawin,Cop Out (DVD),"To tell the truth, I wasn't looking forward to this film at all. I'm a pretty big fan of most of Kevin Smith's work, but he didn't write the film. It could be argued that he did write Jersey Girl and that could be considered a bomb, but his films usually average about $25-$30 million anyway. A Kevin Smith film isn't really about bringing in a large amount of money at the box office. His charm is in his writing, especially the dialogue and interaction between characters. There's a very specific audience his films will appeal to and none of them have really branched away from that. But him not writing this one made me think, ""Eh. Not sure what that'll be like since he didn't write it."" When it comes to Bruce Willis, I've never talked to anyone who dislikes him entirely. There always seems to be at least one of his films everybody enjoys. Die Hard, The Fifth Element, and Sin City are just a few off the top of my head. The real buzzkiller for me though was Tracy Morgan. He's just never been funny to me. He was beyond lame on Saturday Night Live and 30 Rock has never been able to hold my attention for very long. Not to mention all the trailers for Cop Out didn't make me laugh. Thankfully though, first impressions can be so very wrong.
One of Cop Out's biggest charms is that it feels like a buddy cop comedy you've seen before, but have forgotten how much you enjoy it. The film feels similar to a 48 Hrs or Beverly Hills Cop film. Bulletproof is also a good example. Cop Out is pretty much what you expect when it comes to roles Bruce Willis chooses as it's pretty much no different than his role as John McClane on the surface, but he's a lot funnier this time around. As far as Tracy Morgan goes, the funniest thing I could remember him saying was his one line in Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back (""Man... I don't know what the f--- you just said, Little Kid, but you're special man, you reached out, and you touched a brother's heart."") until this film. He was downright hilarious at times. The only person who was funnier than Morgan was Seann William Scott who stole every scene he was in. Even though Kevin Smith didn't pen the script this time around, it still feels like a Kevin Smith film. It could be due to the fact that Jason Lee has a small role in the film, but I like to think it's because Cop Out offers the same kind of comedy you'd find in a Kevin Smith film with a bit more action. It also took me forever to place Scarface from Half Baked as Poh Boy.
Cop Out is surprisingly funny and incredibly entertaining. Give this film a chance even if the trailers may not be doing anything for you. I felt the same way and wound up thoroughly enjoying the film. After a long, stressful day at work, an R-rated comedy with a lot of laughs is one of the best ways to relax and this film offers just that. It's a great film to go into with no expectations other than to just have a good time. As long as you don't run out of the theater, you should catch the part in the credits. This might just be the funniest film released in 2010 thus far. Be sure to check it out. Highly recommended."
0,11_9_R6P9PTFWG80XP.txt,5.0,Funny!,"February 9, 2009",Cheryl,LEGO Batman (Video Game),"We borrowed it from the library to try it out, and it was a big hit. My son, who is 4 1/2, loves this game, almost too much. This is all he thinks about and wants to do! He wants to keep it forever. There are lots of funny moments during the game, which make me laugh, but go right over his head."
1,48_10_RS9O7LG80S140.txt,1.0,"Bad writing, irresistable plot for teenaged girls","August 6, 2008",Liamsmama,"New Moon (The Twilight Saga, Book 2) (Hardcover)",The writing gets worse in the Twilight saga. It makes VC Andrews (if you are old enough to remember those books) read like high literary prose. But what teenaged girl can resist this plot of an unearthly gorgeous vampire (who is also wildly rich) in love with a mortal girl dealing with high school? Apparently not many.
1,49_19_R3TP2YNW3X41D8.txt,1.0,What's the Hype?,"November 11, 2007",Emeraldcityserendipity,Little Miss Sunshine (DVD),"I watched this movie twice, trying each time to do so with an open mind and see what all the hype about this movie was about. And each time I failed. The characters are battery-operated stock characters lousily acted by good (or potentially good) actors. We have the strict and egotistical father, the pragmatic and kind mother who holds the family together, the angst-ridden adolescent played by someone aged 21 (as if any teen who reads Nietzsche wants to go into the air force), the boozing-womanizer-Brooklynite grandfather (a depiction of Norman Mailer?), the depressed, pseudo-intellectual uncle (who does not act or look depressed at all during the film) and the princess daughter who enters into a beauty pageant. What happens between the beginning and the end is scarcely relevant, much less interesting: Van breaks down. Grandpa dies (none too soon). Daughter makes fun of beauty pageant contestants by doing a strip tease to the tune of Rick James' ""Superfreak."" Une vraie piece de restistance. Ha, more like a piece de merde. Don't waste your money on this waste of talent."
1,5_19_R224EDIPILSZXS.txt,1.0,Very expensive night of karaoke,"May 21, 2008",Jmark2001,Rufus Does Judy At Carnegie Hall [2 CD] (Audio CD),"I am certain that there were a few people in the audience of this show who thought, ""I could get up on stage and do what he's doing if I had a full orchestra behind me."" Guess what? They were probably right. Poor Rufus. His voice is very limited. It lacks power, strength, and is quite thin. It's not an attractive voice. As much as he strains (and strain he does), he simply can't sing this collection of standards with the expressiveness they are entitled to. He lacks the emotional depth (his between song anecdotes reveal him to be shallow and charmless. One anecdote has to do with him meeting the man who was the drummer who played in the original Judy Garland concert. Rufus' classy description of him: ""he was old and smelly.""). Whatever possessed him to go through with this mammoth vanity project? Perhaps the ghost of Judy Garland while she was on another pill and alcohol fueled lost weekend? I am amazed that anyone put up the money to produce this night of self-delusion and self-absorption. This is nothing but karaoke with an orchestra standing in place of the karaoke machine.
Ok, Rufus, the bar heard you sing once already. Shut up, sit down, and let someone else get a chance at the microphone. Why do I keep coming to this bar on karaoke night? Boy, do I have too much time on my hands. Hey, there's a cutie over there; I think I'll go over and say, ""hello."" Wait a minute! Who's singing now? Rufus again?! That's it, I'm outa here!"
1,276426_3_R1L1ADTIGILN56.txt,3.0,Not adequate,"December 14, 2007",Noni,Power Rangers Operation Overdrive Mega Mission Helmet (Toy),"I bought this helmet for two reasons: disguise and durability. When you're out there on the streets performing missions, the last thing you want is for bad guys to recognize you. Or, worse, be able to knock you out with their lazers and baseball bats. Well this helmet, surprisingly, protects me from neither of those things.
I put a lot of thought into this helmet before deciding upon it. As a vigilante crime fighter, I believed in the need for a disguise. That way, criminals couldn't find the real me in the phone book and hurt me in my house, or hurt my cat when I am not in my house (I'd probably be out fighting other criminals). I also believed that the ""missions"" that are part of this helmet would help me train and fight crime with more creativity. But there are no useful missions. It's all weird stuff about zords. I have no idea what zords are, but they are no use to me when I'm chasing down jewel thieves or wrestling drug dealers. Maybe someday I'll meet one of these zords and this training will come to some use, but I doubt it.
Speaking of which, I have no idea what they meant for this helmet to protect me against. It's just too small, for one, and there's no way it could withstand the blow from a lead pipe or glass bottle. My enemies often use lead pipes and glass bottles in our battles, but thankfully I've never taken a hit directly to this mega helmet.
For that matter, my peripheral vision is just ruined, so I'm often running down into dark alleys while flipping the helmet off and on just to make sure I don't trip over any hobos. This exposes my face for an instant, and an instant is all a criminal needs to recognize me or fire a sonic blast into my waiting face.
And how do they expect me to fight crime with the shaded visor? Crime happens mostly at night. Night, as you may know, is darker than day. I don't need a shaded visor at night. What were the Power Ranger Engineers thinking when they designed this thing? Maybe over there in power ranger land they have very bright nighttimes, but not here. No sir.
Then there are the sound effects. Look, guys, I'm guessing that over there in power ranger land criminals are easily shocked and awed when you come at them with all kinds of futuristic sounds. But over here, they just laugh at me. Maybe that's the point. I don't know, but at least I can kick them when they are laughing.
Now here's something else that's concerning: On the box there's some small child in what appears to be fighting stance 16B. It also says that this mission helmet is good for 4 years and older. I assume they really mean ""4+ years of street-level crime-fighting experience"", not someone's literal age. Notably this ""child"" or ""small man"" on the cover is wearing no other protection and is comically trying to fight crime with only his bare hands (in fighting stance 16B, no less! That's only good for battling frogmen!). I'm an adult crime fighter and I wear shin guards at least, and also a very thick sweater if it's cold. Bare hands? Only if you've had bioenhancements, such as adamantium reinforcements! If that was true, then why would this child need the protection of a helmet? It just doesn't make sense at all.
This is just misrepresentation. For that matter, why is this in the ""toy"" section? Fighting crime is a serious matter, for serious people. Even if you have no intention of using this helmet in your crime-fighting adventures, there's a danger of being seen as a crime-fighter by criminals simply for wearing the mission helmet."
0,50_15_RHFP82J66EOW2.txt,5.0,Has saved an heirloom crib through two kids!,"October 24, 2009","Ellah ""HSS""",Kidkusion Gummi Crib Rail (Baby Product),"We bought and applied this product when my son started teething. It is VERY important to first thoroughly clean the surface where you plan on applying the strip with alcohol. If there is any oily residue, the adhesive will not stay put. Our son is now four, and our one-year-old daughter has inherited this crib. The original rail protector is still in place and not so much as a corner has started to lift."
1,276427_7_R2JTT60EJFPXF5.txt,5.0,Book is accurate as heck.,"December 14, 2007",Noni,Make Money Reading Books (Paperback),"I just started reading this book, aptly called ""Make Money Reading Books"" and only 1 page in and I've already made $5 from reading this very book. There it was, a $5 bill on page two. I can't wait to see how much money I'll make by the time I get to page 30."
1,14_17_R1T1APOY22KKN6.txt,1.0,Trash,"June 30, 1999",A Customer,Flowers In The Attic (Dollanger Saga) (Mass Market Paperback),"I enjoy reading V.C. Andrews - for a laugh. Please. All of the Andrews writing is a crock, I mean Dawn and Ruby had exactly the same plot except one was staged in Louisiana and the other was in Virginia. I liked Flowers in the Attic when I was thirteen. Then I discovered real writing talent. This has got to be the worst novel ever written. How many of you would have romantic feelings for your brother after spending three years 24/7 in the same room with him? None? I didn't think so."
0,6_12_R3FXIK7W7YP7OX.txt,5.0,Awesome Saw,"May 29, 2008","The Handyman",Bosch 4100-09 10-Inch Worksite Table Saw with Gravity-Rise Stand (Tools & Hardware),"Can't think of anything bad about it. I use it everyday ripping 2x stock and building cabinets and furniture projects. Works good for dado operations, has an accurate fence and easy extendable table. Saw has plenty of power for most operations. The portability of this saw is great and easily stores away when not in use."
0,18_15_RXNRP8GKPYFP7.txt,5.0,Private,"July 1, 2010","Beverly L. Archer ""Booklady123""",Private (Hardcover),"When reading reviews, particularly on Amazon, I've noticed a lot of complaints about how the Patterson books are written. As a reader, what I care about is the end result. I want a good story. Sometimes, Patterson's formula works and sometimes it doesn't. I enjoy The Women's Murder Club series and the Alex Cross series (though I must admit, I'm behind on both series.) So far I've enjoyed the books written with (or some might say by) Maxine Paetro.
I found Private to be a good story. At first I was a little distracted by the different mysteries going on at the same time. However, once it occurred to me that a detective agency the size of Private would be involved with multiple cases, I found that I rather liked the bouncing between the cases. Private is a quick read. I found it to be a good example of what I think goes on in a large detective agency. I could be wrong, but who cares. I enjoyed the book and there are really only two reasons for reading a book - entertainment and/or information. Will this book win any awards? Probably not. Do I feel as though I wasted my time reading it? No. If you want a quick read, this is the book for you. If you care more about how the book is written than the end result, then find another book and another author."
1,12_12_RIXCE8Q7OHC5I.txt,1.0,"Hilarious, but not in a good way","June 22, 2010","Arsenio ""science fiction reader""",The Passage (Hardcover),"When people who don't know anything about the real world write novels the result is pretty funny.
Need a good laugh? Try page 23 when something finally happens. The bats attack and, despite the military setting up a perimeter (against bats? what? are they going to shoot em?) the bats get through (gasp!) they ""blot out the stars"" (which makes them tough to shoot, even for the military) and lift soldiers right off their feet and then ""bore through him like a hot knife through butter."" (ouch, right? but Bats? Even super nasty bats? How about going inside a tent? That work for ya? Na.
Keep in mind this is an action scene and where the horror really begins and it's given as an email and a lame one at that. No scene. No immediacy. No real anything at all. Now comes another 50 pages of introspection, worries, observations, description, bland dialog and memories, bla bla bla. I gave up.
If this is what passes for a great read for the literary set then I'll pass.
One wonders if they're laughing at us for buying their dreck."
1,30_6_RL8C44W8XWMDQ.txt,1.0,How to improve this Gothic Tragedy,"August 5, 2004","McGarrett, five-oh",Wuthering Heights (Bantam Classics) (Mass Market Paperback),"The great tragedy of this book is that the author didn't kill off Catherine and Heathcliff MUCH SOONER. Then she might have been able to introduce alternate main characters who were actually interesting.
Although given Emily Bronte's track record with the aforementioned losers, maybe populating her novels with characters that the reader would find interesting just wasn't her strong suit...."
1,40_11_R1TK8KSJGEBC6B.txt,1.0,Blind Sided,"May 16, 2010",B26354,The Blind Side (DVD),"Yes, the STORY itself is great. The Tuohys should be commended and I am glad they made the film to bring awareness to that. I do like Sandra in it, but was it an Oscar-worthy performance? No. (as a comparison Julia Roberts' performance as Erin Brockovich was far superior) And to put that little kid front and center like that through the whole thing with his over-acting was a total distraction, unrealistic, and annoying. He was the Jar-Jar Binks of the movie for sure. And riiiiiiiiight...this little kid coached Mike making him the great football player that he is because a first grader knows more about football than any real coach does. Sure. Whatever. And TIM MCGRAW in a lead role? Who came up with that idea? Something tells me he didn't show up at the casting call and beat out everyone else out because he's a better actor than all the real actors out there. He's a country western SINGER with NO acting experience (or ability) as I found out from watching this movie. I also find it HARD to believe that she would just be able to yell at some bigoted redneck in the stands and drug dealers and have NO consequences for that at all. Yeah, I'm gonna drive my 7-Series BMW to the drug-dealer hang out, get out dressed in diamonds and expensive clothes and threaten drug dealers who kill people on a regular basis all by myself, get in all of their faces and tell them I have a gun in my $800 Gucci bag and just shut them all down verbally because I'm just ALL THAT? Uh huh. Right."
1,20_1_R7W7TEH4BDYFR.txt,5.0,It is about the Snake,"July 18, 2009","Write Now ""Uncle safety""",Cobra T-shirt 100% Cotton Short Sleeved KIDS TEENS and ADULTS Snake Shirt (Apparel),"Foreget that furry, lame wolf. Reptils are wear its at. I where this shrt everyday on my meals on wheels route, and I love the attraction it gets. ALready four of my clients have propsed, and a couple of them have sealed the deal, if you know what I meen.
First of all, everything fears cobras. Everything. That is the power of the snake. Second, it looks like the tattoo that that cool guy Snake PLitkin had on his stomach without the pain of a tattoo. Chicks dig snakes. Everyone knows that.
I have worn this shirt everyday since i got it, and it just gets cleaner, dew to the amazing power of the shnake.
Also, it is army green which is my favorite color and I would have joined hte army if it wasn't for my asthma.
When I go tot he local biker bar, the smokers outside move aside because of the power of the snake.
I am going to by three more for seatcovers for my Vega.
Great Product!"
0,8_1_R291LE6XDSFD2U.txt,5.0,Better than I expected,"January 9, 2007","Dr. P. A. Burke ""Crusty Veteran""",Porter-Cable CPFC2TV3525VP 15 Amp 3.5-Horsepower 25-Gallon Oil-Free Wheeled Vertical Compressor (Tools & Hardware),"I have a smaller PC compressor in the shop that is very LOUD, so expected this one to be as well, especially since some of the other reviews found it so. But it's not much louder than the two-stage oillube compressor it replaced. I needed something that could be moved in a pinch, something that could run off 110V 15A service I have in the garage, and something with enough capacity to run my air ratchets, cut off tools, etc. I bought this unit fully expecting to have to wait for it to catch up occasionally, but it's kept up just fine.
The only complaint I have with the unit is the difficulty of reaching the drain cock at the bottom of the tank. Next spring when it warms up I might replace that with an Ell and a ball valve. It also draws the full 15 amps, so plug it into a run that nothing else is pulling from.
Overall I'm very satisfied with this unit."
0,46_19_R3J33TJXDX7FXG.txt,5.0,superstay stays on all day without drying out your lips,"November 13, 2009",lee,Maybelline Superstay Lipcolor - Wine (Health and Beauty),"The lipstick is very intense in color. So choose a color that is a little lighter than you would normally wear. It takes some time to learn how to apply the lip color.
1. put on a single light coat quickly
2. let dry for one or two minutes
3. Do not rub your lip together until you apply the clear balm.
4. to remove use simple chapstick or Vaseline
Tip: You can use maybelline's Shine Seduction Lip Gloss on top of the superstay if you want the look of a lip-gloss but with more staying power."
0,22_1_R2X17F05SYYGS.txt,5.0,Sham Wow does work for me,"April 13, 2009",Kittens Mom,Shamwow! (Kitchen),"I purchased Sham Wow from QVC after watching QVC's presentation. The gentleman presenting Sham Wow stated that the Sham Wow should be DAMPENED prior to use and if it is being used to pick up severe spills on rugs etc, one should dilute the spill prior to using Sham Wow.
I read these reviews after I purchased and decided to do my own test. I used the kitchen shamwow to clean my George Foreman grill. I do not have the removable grill plates. So one can imagine the mess from grilling chicken. Sham Wow cleaned the grill plates perfectly.
It would take 3 or more paper towels to do the job.
In addition I use cold water wash. The Sham Wow did not shrink and it came out clean. It was stained and I really did not believe that it would come out clean.
So Sham Wow did work for me. Granted, thankfully I have not had any spills on carpets to clean up yet but if and when I do I will dampen the Sham Wow before use and dilute the spill. Hopefully it will work"
1,45_11_R2CJG33EAQ926K.txt,5.0,Much better than the one I owned before!,"August 12, 2009","Farmer Fred ""Actually Farmer Ted""","Vaginal speculums, metal - 3 sizes (Health and Beauty)","Who would have thought that chrome metal would make such an outstanding instrument! And to think, the wooden one I have always used could be replaced! NO MORE SPLINTERS!"
0,42_7_R3MS0IKFNMQMWS.txt,5.0,THE Rock Opera. Seminal Storytelling Album,"August 7, 2004","B. Marold ""Bruce W. Marold""",Tommy (Audio CD),"Pete Townshend possibly feels a lot like David O. Selznick, the producer of the movie `Gone With The Wind' in fearing that he will only be remembered in his obituary by his creating that one work, as Townshend, like Selznick, seems to have been spending his time after completing their most important work in trying to top it.
To my mind, Townshend should have no regrets about not topping `Tommy', as it is easily one of the two or three most important albums and works in the entire Rock canon, similar in importance and possibly superior in quality to `Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band' and `Blond on Blond', to name just two others high in the ranks of great Rock albums.
One thing which surprises me about writing on `Tommy' is how little deep analysis has been essayed about the story behind the songs. In a nutshell, the story is this:
Tommy Walker is born while his father is off on some journey (`It's a boy') from which he becomes several years late in returning. Tommy's mother takes up with a lover, father returns, mother and lover kill father with Tommy as a witness, and mother and lover tell Tommy he saw and heard nothing (`You didn't hear it'). Tommy becomes functionally blind, deaf, and dumb to all outside appearances, however, it is evident that within his own head, he can see and hear everything (`There's a doctor I've found'). He is tormented by various malicious relatives (`Cousin Kevin' and `Fiddle About') and `treated' by various attempts, including hallucinogens (`Acid Queen'). As he grows up, the only outside experience to which he responds is a pinball machine, at which he becomes expert (`Pinball Wizard'). Tommy is finally cured by watching his image in a mirror smashed by, I believe, his mother's lover (`Smash the Mirror'). Being released from his isolation for Tommy is like being released from a practically lifelong mystical experience heightened by pinball. The charisma with which Tommy is imbued by this experience leads him to become a `New Messiah' (`Sally Simpson') creating a movement which expands beyond local resources (`Welcome') and becomes institutionalized into a ritual modeled after playing pinball while deaf dumb and blind (`Tommy's holiday camp'). The story ends with a revolt of Tommy's disciples against his new religion (`We're not gonna take it').
The theme of being oppressed runs throughout practically all of Townshend's work, although in `Tommy', it takes a back seat to mysticism. The people who dote on the philosophical background of `The Matrix' should sink their teeth into the `Tommy' story and ruminate on that a while. The major musical theme of the work seems to be Townsend's search for a magical chord. And, anyone who, like myself, has seen `Tommy' performed live by the original Who will have no trouble believing Townsend has found his chord as he hits that first great whirlwind chord in `Pinball Wizard'. Talk about a rush! In general, a lot of the music echoes earlier Who works. Townshend seems to constantly cut and paste phrasings from one work to another and I have no problem with this except in the most tedious of the three instrumental pieces (`Underture') in the album.
Some writers have said that 'Tommy' is more like an Oratorio or a Song Cycle than it is an Opera, but I disagree. Neither of these other two genres requires a plot, and an Opera does, and Tommy has a plot. I prefer to think of it as a selection of arias and instrumental passages from which some bridging dialogue has been left out. My biggest problem with this plot is that the actual event that triggers Tommy's autism is only hinted at in the most vague of terms. It is easy to believe that it was a murder, but the lyrics of `You Didn't Hear It' never come even close to saying exactly what the event was. On the other side of the coin, the great majority of the songs on the album `Tommy' directly support carrying the story forward. Practically the only exception is the Sonny Boy Williamson classic `Eyesight to the Blind'. It is probably symptomatic that only `Pinball Wizard', `I'm Free', and `Sensation' out of the 24 cuts in `Tommy' really work for the Who outside the context of the whole work. That's why I'm especially happy to have seen The Who perform virtually the whole album live, four days after it was initially released. It is also interesting to see that the two cuts describing episodes of sadism were written by Entwistle and not Townshend.
This CD contains exactly what was on my original vinyl two record album bought in 1969, suitably enhanced with modern electronics. My greatest respect for Townshend is for creating a classic musical form, the Opera, using an entirely ROCK instrument, with the slightest classical leavening from John Entwistle's French horn on a few early numbers. So many `rock' versions of traditional forms simply overlay rock performances on classical arrangements or make classical arrangements of rock melodies. Aside from `Quadrophenia', the only other work which succeeds at doing this is Spooky Tooth/Pierre Henry work `Ceremony An Electronic Mass'.
Listening to this album and every other early Who album reminds one just how much their performances were a collaborative effort between the original four, and how much we miss Keith Moon and John Entwistle today. We can only say that with `Tommy' and numerous other works and recorded performances, the memory of The Who will live forever.
Seminal work in the history of Rock."
0,28_8_R1XSP0QF52DY0.txt,5.0,"Huge fan of Krups and Heineken, now I have the best of both worlds.","September 14, 2009",Addie M,Krups C75 BeerTender Home Beer-Tap System with Heineken DraughtKeg Technology (Kitchen),"I recently bought the C75 Beertender as we prepare for the fall football season and we love it- here's why.
* Heineken is the beer of choice in our house, so when we saw the mini draught kegs in the grocery store, we knew this would be a nice alternative to the bottles and cans we normally buy for our gatherings.
* I am a big a fan of Krups products; I've always used a Krups coffee maker; I can't live without the pannini grill and recently purchased the fully automatic espresso machine- which we love. When I saw the Beertender, I knew we had to have one in our house.
* We have beer on tap all the time! Does it get any better then that? The beer stays at the perfect temperature, it doesn't take up any room in our refrigerator and it tells us when the keg needs to be replaced, if we exceed the 30 day freshness period. (So far we have drained the kegs before that date happens but we have come close)
I'm thinking this will be a great present for all the beer lovers in our families."
1,14_12_RVFCRLQRACWQP.txt,1.0,cheap but useless,"June 4, 2010",G. Venable,"Amazon Kindle 2 (2nd Generation) USB Car Charger, USB Wall / Travel Charger, Earphones, and Screen Protector / Guard",The product arrived but it does not include a connecting cable so while to price was right it has no value without a cable from the devices to the Kindle. Don't waste your money
0,276426_8_R18CQC8KFXQIUY.txt,5.0,Well writen and gives you an insight of Gov. Palin's life,"December 27, 2009",Chuck,Going Rogue: An American Life (Kindle Edition),"I am a big fan of politicians who are, well, for the lack of a better phrase, not born with a silver spoon in her/his mouth. When you have to work to pay for little things others take for granted, e.g. your own education, you have a true sense of what it takes to reach your goals in life. For this reason, I admire people like Pres. Clinton and Gov. Palin greatly. Clinton's ""My Life"" is one of my all-time favorite autobiographies.