Friday, 2 January 2009

Fantasy Adventures


Why is it, that we want more from a movie than is on offer? Come on chaps, "Lara Croft - Tomb Raider" isn't a film of any intellectual merit, it is merely an exciting adventure movie with a whole host of good special effects and lots of quality funny moments. I for one really enjoyed this film, I expected nothing from it other than a series of explosions and gun battles and that is what I got and I loved every single minute of it. The plot wasn't too complicated, with Lara piecing together a mystery about an ancient clock and two pieces of a mystical triangle that has the ability to fragment time and space and of course there are the obligatory bad guys trying to get their hands on it. There was a fine cast of characters from Iain Glenn playing the evil Mr. Powell (the main bad guy) to Chris Barrie of Red Dwarf fame coming across with great aplomb as the overtly English Butler Hillary who tries and fails to make his young employer into a regal young lady instead of a gun-toting maniac. One of my favorite moments is when Hillary realizes that the security in the Croft Mansion has been breeched and there is a battle going on downstairs. He calmly gets out of bed, dons a bullet proof vest taken from his wardrobe, locks and loads a massive double barreled shot gun without blinking an eye then carefully steps into his leather slippers before stepping out to join the melee. I cracked up laughing, it was SO funny! Angelina Jolie is well cast as Lara Croft, and she manages a pretty good English accent too as well as doing ALL her own stunts which impressed me big time. The special effects were superb, watch out for when a husky-dog jumps through a break in the fabric of time, it's awesome. All in all this is fun, fun film and that is the way it should be treated. The DVD is worth every cent and is stuffed full of extras that just add to the enjoyment of the film. So come on chaps, give it a chance, you never know, you just might enjoy yourselves! Lara Croft - Tomb Raider (Special Collector's Edition)

I give the movie 5 stars as an exciting imaginitive adventure movie.

But there are issues with the Blu-ray version - which are:

The movie was not photographically focused with HD video in mind. Sometimes the details are clearly in focus, sometimes the details are only DVD clear. This is better than an ordinary DVD "upconverted" but is not consistently what I would expect from a true Blu-ray quality movie. If you already own the DVD it may not be worth upgrading - but if you don't I think it is worth it for adventure movie fans.



This is based on the original Blu-ray disk release.

I've been loading up on big, dumb action movies on blu-ray, so when I saw this on sale for $10.99, I said why not... I popped the disc in, and was horrified at the picture quality- it looks like an upconverted dvd. If you have this on dvd already, then don't waste your money.

This has got to be the best attempt at a good game-based movie that I've seen. There were a few minor plot discrepancies that didn't quite follow the storyline of the game, but they could be ignored-I actually didn't notice them myself until my avid Tomb Raider-playing pal pointed them out. I loved the action sequences-the "ceiling ballet" being my favorite, and I think that Angelina Jolie did a suberb job portraying our feisty heroine. The music was probably the best part of the movie, though. The fast-paced techno stuck with me more than the actual story did, and I bought the soundtrack almost immediately afterward. What I didn't like was that the storyline of the movie wasn't that well developed. The charcters were typical, the events were ordinary, and the plot was so predictable that I found myself speaking the dialogue before the characters did! The story wasn't that detailed or involved. A third-grader could have followed it without trouble. I had been hoping for a more provoking, mature movie. Overall, it was...okay. Maybe the next ones will be better...that is, if they don't follow the rule of sequels...

I read so many bad reviews about this product, I was almost positive I would hate it. Then I came across the review Roger Ebert gave it for the Chicago Tribune. HE gave it 4 and half stars out of five. That peaked my interest. I found it at my Wal-Mart for $4. Figuring I could spare four bucks, I bought it, and watched it two days later. By far one of the best movies I've seen a LOOOONG time. Very intriguing plot, great acting, plus it's just plain fun. Combine Indiana Jones with Mission Impossible 2, and you have an idea what this is like. Plenty of special features to keep die-hard movie buffs happy. Plus it's got Angelina Jolie. Need I say more?

Yes, many people are bashing this movie but I think they are all wrong. That is why there is a sequel since it was a good flick, right?



This movie is a very good adaptation from a game, since I also love the games. Angelina was a good Lara Croft not just in the physical aspect but also in the attitude. She is as confident as the one in the games.



The movie also circles in a great plot line. The plot is very well served and not draggy, unlike other movies. It doesn't aim to much to inform people a lot about the Illuminati but supplies what the viewers need, not over or under that. The whole plot makes sense in a not so draggy way.



The adventure aspect is also well done. The exotic locations were mesmerizing as well as the action sequences. The stunts were very realistic, unlike the ones in movies like Charlie's Angels were people leap like animals. Here, Lara is very human but athletic, doing stunts that are actually possible to do and done very nice cinematically.



The movie overall is very enjoyable. its a fun action flick. It may lack depth or may fail to satisfy one but its an action flick. Let go and enjoy.'


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40 Inch - 40 inch, 1080p


i actually received this set as from Samsung as a replacement for a 37 inch model that they no longer make. unfortunately, this television has also been plagued with problems. let me preface this by saying as far as picture quality and overall appearance go, this is a fantastic set. however, there are 3 fatal flaws that are causing me to return it.



1) audio clipping issues: regardless of the audio source, the television exhibits audio clipping and dropouts where the sound will temporarily disappear. this causes a very quick, but incredibly annoying, loss in audio. this occurs regardless of input source.



2) auto-dimming issues: the set features special settings to automatically adjust the brightness levels to conserve energy and optimize the the tv for low-light settings. however, even after turning off all of these options, the tv still auto-dims. obviously, this degrades from the experience.



3) poor DLNA codec support: one of the most exciting features for me about this set is that it is compatible with DLNA home media servers. i was hoping to be able to stream my content to this set. however, the television has very poor codec support. it cannot play many common file formats and codecs. even after transcoding the files, the set often fails to play them. in addition, the set doesn't support fast-forward or rewind on streaming media, which makes watching a movie very difficult.



i really wanted to like this set, and was excited to receive it, but unfortunately, i think this will be the last Samsung TV i ever own. Samsung LN40C550 40-Inch 1080p 60 Hz LCD HDTV (Black)

Great tv! Looks very attractive, not too big, and blends well. Does not reflect very much light, and I am in a very bright room. Everything about this device is great. Only quams I have are, this model does not stream netflix, but that can be remidied with a new samsung blu ray(they stream netflix and start around $168). Great part about that is when you connect other samsung devices, they communicate together and have additional functionality. Thats a smart design. Only other problem is the upcoversion and the motion tracking could be better. But we are talking 60 hz so this is pretty good. I picked mine up for $600, and at that price, I would say it's the best and sexiest your gonna get.

I got a great deal on this through Amazon, and am very pleased with this tv compared to the only other LCD I've owned, a smaller (26in) BB store brand. The Samsung HDTV is one of the most attractive flatscreens I've seen, with a sleek look and a useful swivel based. It's the first tv I've ever owned where I don't feel the need to keep it hidden away in a cabinet, it looks so good. I didn't really notice the "touch of red" until I moved the tv to a brighter room (where I've had no problems with glare or light reflecting on the tv), and it's a subtle touch that makes the tv stand out from others. Picture quality has been great for watching cable and dvds. I don't game, so can't comment on that. While I haven't noticed the audio clipping from all sources that another reviewer mentioned, the sound is a bit tinny for music videos. However, I would imagine that someone really into music would want to hook this up to a sound bar at the least. I may look into one myself. Other than that, I am pleased and expect to enjoy the tv for many years to come. If I'd had more money, or hadn't gotten the great deal on this model, I might have upgraded to the 120 Hz, but so far the 60 Hz has worked fine for me.

I purchased this 40" TV when Amazon offered the free TiVo Premiere TiVo TCD746320 Premiere DVR (Black) along with purchase. This is my first flat screen TV and it is a good starter for the price. I chose an LCD because it tends to be more economical than a plasma. Plasmas offer better color but tend to use more energy and are more costly. I wasn't looking to create a fantastic new home theater system; just something that will allow me to enjoy everyday TV and the occasional movie. The flat screen also opens up my small living room significantly. My previous tube TV was ginormous in comparison.



The delivery company, CEVA, came in within the time frame designated and helped set-up the TV on the swivel stand. They do not check to see if an image comes on the screen, even though they ask you to initial the line that states an image appeared on the TV. Whatever, I don't expect the delivery guys to be technicians. Just keep this in mind.



Fortunately, with some exchanging of wires, I was able to set up the TV and receive a signal and picture. I do not have cable, so I hooked the TV up to an antenna. The picture quality is great on the HD channels and sufficient on the non-HD ones. It really is a sleek and nice looking TV. Even when turned off, it's a nice piece of equipment.



I was concerned with the 60 Hz because I had read that the minimum an LCD TV should have is 120 Hz minimum. And while my friends and I are no LCD television experts, we really don't notice a difference between our TV's based on this refresh rate.



The sound quality is what's bringing the review to 4 stars. Even for my small space, the sound just wasn't good enough. You don't need expensive speakers, but it's definitely worth hooking it up to another audio output.

The package was in great condition when it had arrived and we received it within 2 days of placing the order. After doing a great deal of research on TV's we ended up landing on this product and the LCD Samsung LN40C550 (60hz) was everything what it has prophesized to be and was a great bargain for $600. I am extremely happy to have purchased this product. These are the features that i really loved about this TV,

1. It is a 1080p full HD tv, has great quality and crisp clarity in the picture,

2. Has a swivel in its base,

3. Most of all we can a connect a hard drive directly to the tv and view the contents like music, photos and videos without using a laptop,

4. we could also connect a PC to the tv without any cables by using a PC share manager,

5. Has Wi-Fi ready which is convenient, when we have a whim of watching any video online!

6. Great contrast ratio which gives us beautiful color scheme,

7. Does not have the lag in the video especially during those fast paced sequence scenes (though it has 60 hz response rate),

8. and of course, Looks gorgeous!!!

9. the surround sound is good and is perfect for apartments. - 40 Inch - Dlna - Samsung Lcd - 1080p'


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Rock Guitarists - blues rock, rock


Imagine turning out four of the most successful and groundbreaking heavy metal/blues-rock albums of all time, only to go on turning out more outstanding material. Very few bands in history have consistently delivered mind-blowing albums one after the other for an extended period of time the way Zeppelin has. Zeppelin had invented the sound of the decade, and by 1973, they were really ready to spread their wings (as if they hadn't already).



"Houses Of The Holy" follows the same foot steps as "Led Zeppelin IV", but the approach is much more easy-going. Jimmy Page's riffs range from folk hooks as well as his classic blues-rock hooks, giving the album a lighter and looser feel. The album kicks off with epic "The Song Remains the Same". "The Rain Song" is a moody, meandering tune, sprawling progressive rock arrangements touching on classical music, jazz, blues, and folk, as well as hard rock. Robert Plant's vocals are soulful and heartfelt. "The Rain Song" also shows Jimmy Page's growth as a producer. "Over the Hills and Far Away" was a further progression away from the band's original heavy blues into more diverse arrangements. The acoustic introduction is a variation of Jimmy Page's own "White Summer," which was highly influenced by Davey Graham's "She Moved Thro' the Fair." The affectionate James Brown send-up "The Crunge," one of my favorites, really adds to the diversity of the album. "Dancing Days" gives you a solid taste of their classic hard rock strut. The reggae-influenced song "D'Yer Mak'er", featuring John Bonham's driving drums makes for an exceptional love song. The song was released as a single and reached the top 20, staying on the charts for total of eight weeks. Zeppelin's spooky "No Quarter" is a jazz, bluesy jam. The songs starts off with John Paul Jones' electric piano, reminiscent of the Doors' "Riders On The Storm". The song jumps into Bonham's hard-hitting drums, then leads into Page's blues-rock riff, backed by an analog synthesizer. Plant paints a picture of creepy images within his soaring slowed-down vocals. "The Ocean" makes for a great closer, featuring a funky guitar riff from Page, into an a cappella, going out swinging.



It's hard to pick a "best" Zeppelin album. Usually my favorite is the one I am currently listening too. "Houses Of The Holy" lives up to the reputation of their first four masterpieces. They took a chance and were unfazed by the spotlight. This album adds dramatic influence to heavy metal, blues-rock and hard rock as we know it today. Don't miss out on this flawless classic. Houses Of The Holy

Ah, 1973: It was the year I was born, Pink Floyd put out the seminal Dark Side Of The Moon, and Led Zeppelin's arguably best release, "Houses of the Holy," also came out. The urgent opening riffs on "The Song Remains the Same" signal great things to come. Jimmy Page does some marvelous twin guitar work, Robert Plant has an almost Chimpmunkish yelp, and we're off and running. "The Rain Song" quickly tones things down, a soothing, dreamy tune sprung from the South Carribean, with strings in the background for further relaxing effect. "The Rain Song" might be Zeppelin's best acoustic song ever.



Like Pink Floyd, Zeppelin refused to releasing songs as singles. And yet, structured pop shines through on the folkishly delightful "Over the Hills and Far Away," the fun rock jingle of "Dancing Days," and the reggae- flavored "D'yer Maker." "No Quarter" contains a dimmer vibe, filled with buzzy guitars, a brooding piano, and Plant's isolated voice coming through in distorted tones, like a man coping with deep depression. Midway through, John Paul Jones plays a beautifully serene piano, only to give way to John Bonham's smooth rhythmic drum kick. The band's cohesiveness is at an all-time high here, as everyone involved gets to subtly show off. There's nothing coy about the next sublime rocker, "The Ocean," which anybody with half a heartbeat could stomp along to.



"Houses of the Holy" may have been Zeppelin at its height; the band could have called it quits after this record and still be assured easy classic-rock status. It's simply another great Zeppelin album that adds to a string of greats. The guys kept their style simple, yet branched out a bit and explored new avenues. Some would even say that all Zeppelin albums after this one were pleasant icing on the cake. Of course, the same thing has been said about Pink Floyd after 1973, as well.

Houses Of The Holy is probably the most melodic of all Led Zeppelin's albums. The album has full and layered sound that relies more on the band's powerhouse rhythm section of John Paul Jones and John Bonham than on Jimmy Page's guitars. Don't worry though, Mr. Page's powerhouse riffs abound throughout the album, but they are deftly mixed in to create a bigger sound. Mr. Jones' keyboards are found in heavy doses which is a welcomed thing. "The Crunge" is a James Brown tribute that has a loose, funky feel and "Over The Hills & Faraway" is a driving rocker. "Dancing Days" has a melodious beat with a stinging guitar and "D'yer Mak'er" is a reggae influenced song and is one of the few Zeppelin songs you can actually dance to. "No Quarter" is the most mystical and darkest of all of Zeppelin's songs. The music has strange keyboards and Robert Plant's voice is so distorted that is sounds like he's singing under water. The lyrics are Tokleinesque in nature and the song is a mini masterpiece. The album closes out with the thumping "The Ocean". Houses of The Holy has another infamous Zeppelin cover and brought them back to number one.

"The Song Remains The Same", "The Rain Song" and "Over The Hills And Far Away" are, in my humble opinion, the best songs the Zeps ever recorded. A sensual bluesy rocker, a gentle acousting tapestrie and a folk song ...funky hard rocker, these might not be the most played Zep tracks ("Stairway to Heaven" and "Kashmir" still hold that distinction), they are certainly some of the best. Almost everything about them is perfect, every guitar track, every bass line, every drum beat. It would be worth getting this CD just for these tracks.What about the rest of the album? It's quite good. There's some stuff here that'll make you roll your eyes up, like the silly funk workout, "The Crunge" and the catchy but stupid "Dancing Days." But listen to Plant get down with da riddim, mon as he play some of dat reggae in "D'yer Mak'er" (pronounced "Jamai'ker") "No Quarter" is definitely the creepiest Led Zep song ever recorded. It's so ominous, foreboding and mournful that it could have been recorded by Black Sabbath in one of their more experimental phases. "The Ocean" is a fun rock work out that'll get stuck in your head. But really, they could have just recorded sounds of the bands farting and telling bad jokes and I'd still love "Houses of the Holy" because of those first three tracks I mentioned.Can you dig it? - Blues Rock - Greatest Albums - Arena Rock - Rock'


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Plus Size Top - cardigans, plus size top


This is a great-looking top, and a good value, but the sizing chart doesn't run true through the bust. I wear a 40 or 42 C bra, depending on the make. I checked the sizing chart provided and ordered a 2x, because I wanted it to fall a little lower across my bust. When the top arrived today, and I tried it on, it was VERY TIGHT across my bust...mashing my bust down just a bit. Considering that in most brands I wear a 1x without fail, this top runs at least a size small across the chest. A 3x would have fit me the way I wanted, but I thought that would be too big according to the seller's sizing chart. Perhaps the top was mislabeled, but it does say 2X-2XLGrande, which should have been plenty loose on me and wasn't. So, if you're my bust size or bigger, it would be prudent to order a size 3x.



I'm not going through the hassle of sending it back. Since I'm handy with a needle and thread, I'm going to split the neckline down the middle and convert it to a v-necked top, which should give me more bust room. I was, however, planning to wear the top out tonight, and didn't have time to convert it beforehand. I had to wear another top instead.



This was the first time that I bought from this seller. I'll take into consideration the sizing discrepancy when buying from them in the future. The package did arrive in good condition, and on time. And the quality of the garment is as depicted in the photos. Plus size Laced Back Black Sleeveless Tunic Top - 1X

plus size, sizing? PUHLEEZE. This fits my petite mother better than it fits my big fat arse. i love the design, the back is pretty but this is not long as the pic would have you believe plus it is not plus size at all!!

The black sleevless tunic could only look better if it had laced back and it does! I have already had quite a few compliments and if you have a cute tattoo in the back shoulder like me it accents it and makes it look sexy. - Evogues Apparel - Black Lace - Cardigans - Plus Size Top'


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Laptop Messenger Bags - laptop, laptop bag


I've had it a little over a week, and so far I like the bag. I agree with "Fantasy Fiend" in that the style of the bag was a nice balance between the casual nature of a backpack and the stuffy business-like feel of most laptop bags.

I have a 16" widescreen laptop, and it's a perfect fit.

The handle is a little awkward if a laptop is not in the bag, but I intend to keep a laptop in it at most times, plus I don't usually use the handle, I use the shoulder strap. I do wish the shoulder straps had swivels attached to the ends. It seems like everytime I pick it up, I'm having to twist the strap around to make sure it's straight.

I also wish it had at least one small pocket on the outside of the pack..one that you could get to without undoing the two main clasps (for gum, pens, thumb drives, etc). It has a pocket on the back of the bag, but anything you put in that pocket is right between the laptop and the padding designed to protect the bottom of the laptop..I can't really think of anything I would put in that pocket aside from folders, papers or other soft flat items that wouldn't damage the laptop.

The pen holder is kind of strange. Look at the picture. The black patch between the two main clasps is the bottom of the pen holder, so your pens are visible outside the bag, even though you can't access them without opening the clasps. Not BAD exactly, just strange.

Overall, aside from the little issues mentioned above, I do like the bag. It does what it's supposed to, I like the way it looks. Mobile Edge Eco-friendly Canvas Messenger Bag (Green)

The offset placement of the carrying handle helps to balance the bag IF you are also lugging a laptop. Without the laptop in its slot and a few heavy textbooks in their logical place carrying by the handle is quite awkward because the bag is very out-of-balance.Unfortunately use of the shoulder strap does not alleviate the pressing against your lower body.



I am updating my review to report additional consequences of the offset handle. After 5 Months of use the bag is splitting, tearing at the stress point of the imbalance. This bag is misnamed. It is not a messenger bag it is a Laptop-only carrying bag.

It seems like the bulk of the bags out there are made for business men or school kids. I've had to look hard for a bag that's my style and can still reliably protect a laptop. The backpacks are definitely not my style and the business style bags are just to stuffy and old school business for me. My style is more canvas bag meets compartmentalized storage. This bag is exactly that. The bag fits my style while providing a nice extra pocket for files and article printouts. Meanwhile my laptop is protected in a nicely padded area with a thick leather "skid plate" at the bottom to hold up to surface friction when set upright on a desk or the ground. All in all the bag is perfect for someone like me.



As an added bonus I feel I should mention that an eBook reader like the Kindle would fit perfectly in the extra compartment, and I will likely be adding one of those in the near future.

I'll admit that this wasn't my first choice in a messenger bag. I had wanted one for a long time, and had researched long and hard to find one that I wanted. However, after ordering the first one (which I don't even remember), I found out that it wasn't available anymore. Since I didn't want to wait 4-6 months for it to get back in stock, I went back to researching and found this bag. I love it! The color is a perfect neutral color (the green one), not too flashy, but looks good. It has lots of pockets (more on those later), is accessible and well-built. I rarely, if ever, use my bookbag now and use this messenger bag for most of my toting needs.

The pictures are fairly self-explanatory, but I will go ahead and give a rundown on what this bag has.



Main Pouch: It has one main section underneath the flap, divided into three pockets. The pocket closest to the back of the bag is padded for laptops. My 15" Dell fits easily in it.

Flap Pocket: There is a zippered mesh pocket on the inside of the flap. It can be a little awkward to get into, but when I went to Paris for a week I used to pocket to keep my passport and money in. I felt that it was very safe in there. (I had a friend along who kept "pickpocketing" from members of our group to show them how unaware they would be if a real thief came along. However, I was the only one who had a bag that he was never able to steal anything from.)

Front Pockets: There are 3 large pockets in front of the main pouch section. One is as wide and deep as the bag, secured with a strip of velcro. The second is similar, but about 1/3 as wide and in the center. The third pouch is off to the side, and has no closure system.

Pencil Holders: As has been previously stated, the pencil holder is....weird. When the bag is full, the pencils don't stay in the black strip and stick out. I generally just stick my pencils in the smallest front pouch; I can just grab them from the side without unbuckling the bag.

Outer Pocket: There is one pocket on the back side of the bag. It is secured with a velcro flap. It is hard to access while carrying the bag, since it is right next to the body, but it's still a useful pouch.



I have loaded this bag with books and my laptop, and it has felt sturdy every time. I rarely use the handle, mainly because I prefer the strap. The handle is in a slightly awkward position, but I don't mind since I don't use it. You just have to remember to have the bag closed and clasped when you use it.

I have had this bag since March and have loved it sooo much! It's many compartments make it easy to organize things, it is well constructed and sturdy, very comfortable and overall a great bag!

I purchased this to protect my laptop and carry around my books about a month ago. I must say, even with a 15.6" notebook, there is plenty of room for all my stuff. The only thing this bag is missing is a water bottle holder, I tend to just stick it in the middle inner pocket. I prefer the shoulder strap so I never use the handle on the back but the stitching seems adequate for most uses. Not Rowsdower adequate, but it would probably serve the purposes of Bob Johnson or Blast Hardcheese, whom I put my faith in. Remember, this is a notebook bag, so I try to not put anything too heavy or large in the bag. Bowling balls and/or cinder blocks probably wouldn't work. Yes the notebook carrying part is padded, but why take an unnecessary chance? It still fits my notebook/mouse/power adapter, paper notebook, various loose papers, ipod touch, and 2 of my college text books with ease (Think giant law tomes or organic chemistry, not... well I can't think of anything because all I have taken are law or science classes... nerd alert).



The bag itself is nice quality. The canvas is not as yellow as it looks does in the picture and the spots for the velcro id holder above the black straps don't look as weird either. There are two strips of black padding on the back, towards the bottom, which actually makes a difference when I walk as the bag tends to stay against my legs more instead of bouncing around (well, stays as much as a messenger bag will). The underside of the canvas is a velour like quality; I find it ero... wait, wrong review. The underside is a fancy water resistant plastic. However, I probably would not take this out in heavy rain, unless fully loaded, as the sides where the shoulder strap clips on tend to stick out a little from under the flap. When fully loaded the sides don't flex out. I put a trashbag over it when it rains. When people ask me what I'm doing I act all offended and ask them why they don't like my bags and the cord I use in lieu of a belt.



There are a lot of pockets. On the outside there is a pocket which is against your body when you wear the shoulder strap, I tend to not use this. If anything, I would probably only put loose paper in there. The flap has a zippered mesh pocket on the underside, perfect for my power adapter and usb devices. A 7 pencil holder on the front, the black rectangle on the picture is a little slot to keep them in so you can actually bring writing devices which do not have clips. There's an open pocket on the right side about the width of an ipod touch and a little taller and deeper, I wish there was a similar pocket on the left side. A pocket the size of the black strap directly behind it (about 6" across guestimating) with a slight velcro enclosure. Another pocket the length of the bag with a slight velcro enclosure. Inside the bag are three pockets: a thin one good for one of those 5 subject notebooks plus a little extra, another pocket which can fit two large text books and a supplement, and the padded notebook section which rests against you. The notebook section has a velcro strap on the top which you can use to tighten the pocket if you don't use a 16" or 15.6" notebook. The pockets are all a good size, and I can bring pretty much anything I want and not have to dig through the bag to find it.



One of the reason I got this is because I'm decently tall (6'2") with pretty broad shoulders and a lot of other bags did not have the shoulder strap length or width (so it doesn't ride off me) I look for. I like the middle of the bag to rest against my hips... <raise eyebrow> ladies? This has a very long shoulder strap which does the job nicely, with enough to room to spare for a much taller person; I only have the strap loosened slightly below half-way. I tried pretty much every bag at a couple of computer stores and this was the only one that felt right, like when you try on a pair of running shoes. The shoulder strap seems sturdy, however, make sure it is not twisted when you pick the bag up because the strap-clips will detach from the bag. This really isn't a problem with me because twisted shoulder straps really annoy me when I walk, but I lifted it up off the table one time and the shoulder straps just popped off (the bag stayed on the table so nothing was damaged). With the shoulder straps straight, I put a few heavy books in and swung the bag around violently for a while. It did not detact and seemed very solid, so I'm not really worried about a repeat.



Overall I like this bag, it doesn't really scream "COMPUTER BAG... STEAL ME" when I wear it around and lets all the cool kids know that "Yes... I have a bag. So you know... yeah." I would give this 5 out of 5 if it wasn't for the clip coming off that one time, and the sides sticking out slightly further than the flap when it isn't fully loaded. - Laptop - Laptop Messenger Bags - Laptop Bag - Messenger'


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Hitachi Brad Nailer - brad nailer, brad nailers


This is one of the best tools I have ever had. Operates flawlessly every time. I use Bostich nails/brads because they are easier to find (all sizes up to 2") and the nailer works perfectly. The "height" adjustment is easy. The "jam release" mechanism is great - but the tool has never jammed. Excellent Product! James Willard Hitachi NT50AE2 18-Gauge 5/8-Inch to 2-Inch Brad Nailer

This is by far the best brad nailer I have ever used in my 20 years as a trim carpenter. It is very light weight ,powerfull, and looks great too! Hitachi has always been a pro-quality grade tool and this brad nailer is a great addition to there collection of pro-quality tools.

The one thing that swayed me to this model was definitely a key advantage. With this nailer, the safety slide peg is mounted behind the nail channel, which means you can get nails into tighter spots with this model than you can with others. The Bostich and others have the slide out in front of the nail channel which means the brad comes out about a quarter inch back from the forward-most part of the tool tip. With this Hitachi the brad comes out at the very front, which is very nice when putting nails in tight corners.



This tool is so handy and does such a nice job, I wonder what would ever make me buy a finish nailer. I'm pretty sure this brad nailer would do those jobs for me too.



Three minor disadvantages drop this to a 4-star rating (reallly 4.5), but it's not because I think there's a better one out there, it's just that there's room for improvement.



1. It's not oil-free. Not a big deal but it would be nicer to not have to bother with oil.

2. The lightest (shallowest) nail depth setting is still a little too powerful. With short brads in soft material many were penetrating too deep. It would be nice to be able to go a little shallower by a step or two.

3. The case is compact and handy, but there's no extra space in there to put nails or oil. Luckily they molded a spot for safety glasses (included) which I have emptied out to store my oil and a few brads there instead. I always have safety glasses with me anyway so that space is better used for nailer-specific items. There is extra volume inside there but its molded over in plastic so you can't use it. Again, nobody else seems to do a better job of this, but that doesn't mean it couldn't be improved.



In summary, a great tool. I can't believe I lived so long without it. A brad nailer makes many jobs much easier, allowing me to do things I couldn't do before with just two hands.

The price was more than right. This is an excellent deal. I used Milwaukee brads for it, and no jams so far. It would be nice if it had a better tip on it though. Comparing price and value with other brands, I would buy this one again. Up until 6 months ago I never knew Hitachi made good tools. Hitachi is my preferred brand for pneumatic right now. The only guns I probably wouldnt buy are their framing nailers, only because the PC is so much cheaper and does the job so well. Buy this gun, you can't go wrong. Along with the tip, the thing that really puzzles me is, I can go buy a $20 no name gun kit, and IT INCLUDES OIL IN THE CASE! (not to mention a couple thousand nails) Here I buy a Hitachi, and not a drop. How about including a small bottle of oil guys? The fifty cents it would cost the company would be well worth it to build greater brand loyalty.

I got this brad nailer as a back up to my Stanley Bostitch nailer and it feels more balanced than my Bostitch.



As others have mentioned, the the gun ships in a case without oil! I don't really mind it at all because I have lots of oil lyring around. But for those who are just starting out with pneumatic nailer, you should get some oil before you start firing nails with it.



I like that fact that it has the sequential trip and the bump fire built into the gun at the flip of the switch, a feature that my Bostitch does not have. It sinks nails well and countersinks it to the right depth once adjusted properly. I use combination of Porter Cable as well as Bostitch brand brads and not had a jam or misfire yet. I have test fired it very rapidly (3-4 brads per second) in sequential fire and bump fire mode and also not jammed.



I would have given it 5 stars if not for 2 small things which I found can be improved. The depth of drive adjustment wheel is easier to turn. It's located between the magazine and the nose. Not the easiest to turn if your fingers are not dexterous. My Bostitch had the adjustment wheel located in front of the nose. Secondly, the exhaust swivels 360 with some detents. But I think the exhaust can be improved because it 's only a cheap piece of plastic held in place by a ring groove. Not very easy to adjust the exhaust unlike the bostitch which has the exhaust adjustment incoporated into the top cap.



But overall, it's a well built gun and will buy it again and will recomend to friends if the sale comes around once again. Much better than some POS that is made in cheap china factory with no QC.

I had used a Bostich brad nailer of the same configuration and I found the Hitachi to have a better feel to it; it is lighter and packs a nice punch. There is one feature the Bostich has that I wish the Hitachi had and that is the oiling; the Bostich does not require oiling while the Hitachi does; no big deal, it is just not convenient and easy to feorget.

Pro: Excellent feel and worked flawlessly during two weeks of remodeling. Great on baseboards, moldings, cabinets, etc.. This is the perfect nailer for working around the house. Got this from Amazon for less than $60 with no tax and free shipping. $90 + tax at Lowe's.



Con: The no-mar tip could be better because it made very small dents. No oil included. A bit loud.



Still 5 stars because it's a wonderful tool compared to other nailers I used before. - Brad Nailer - Nailers - Nail Gun - Brad Nailers'


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I've used countless brands of Diagonal Cutting Pliers, the Klien's are by far the best and most versitile. I've used them on braided wire in copper, aluminum and steel. I've used them on solid copper wire and the steel flexible casing over romex. I've also used them to cut off finish nails that are left sticking out when remodeling. I've also used them to cut plastic tubing and zip tie ends. They cut all the way through, without leaving frayed ends on braided wiring, no working the tool side to side to finish the cut which allows you to work faster with less frustrations. They've lasted through thousands of cuts and I will buy more to make sure I have a set in each tool box, bag or tote. A must have if you are a professional regardless of specialty. Klein Tools D228-8 8-Inch High Leverage Diagonal Cutting Plier - Side-cutting - Klein Tools - Side-cutting Pliers - Eligible For Super Saver Shippin'


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