Sunday, 6 September 2009
Childrens Life Jacket
I love the Puddle Jumpers Floation for my 18 month old son!!!!!!! It keeps him a float, his head stays above water. It aslo helps with him learning how to swim. The only 1 problem, is that if he happens to turn on his back, he can not get himself back over, but I sure that will be resolved once he learns how to get around more in the water, right now he is only 18 months. I definetly give it 5 stars. I absolutley LOVE< LOVE< LOVE it!!! One of the safest products for kids learning to swim. Makes him very independent in the water. Stearns Boys Puddle Jumper Flotation Suit,Alligator, 30-40 Pounds
I'm sure this product would be okay for a larger toddler (3-4 years old) but my 2.5 year old was 'swimming' in it!
I didn't see any information about it fitting 30-40lbs, our girl is only 25lbs. maybe I missed something.
I purchased the 'non-suit' flotation instead (chest and arms only) and it's PERFECT.
Plus, a friend told me that the full suits tend to ride up and iritate her child's chin. Just an fyi!
My two year old daughter and I LOVE this swimming suite. It is easy for Mama to hold her in deep water, she is so buoyant and happy. I feel so secure knowing that there is no way she will sink since she does not know how to swim yet. We only have to worry about her dipping her face in the water!! A great suite to own with a toddler who hasn't taken swimming lessons yet.
Bought this for my very independent 19 month old who loves getting in the water. It took her about 2 visits to the pool to get the hang of the suit (at first she would float on her back, then on her stomach),...but now she can swim all around the pool. The quality is excellent, the suit fits big on her (she wears 24 month clothes) but it does not ride up in the water. She can use this for a long time. Very cute design and good quality. Would definitely recommend.
Bought this for my 18mth old after reading other reviews that people had put thier younger ones in it ..... dont know how it was huge on my daughter!! She is not small by any means (90% height) and the crotch was at her knees and she looked like the michelin tire woman. When she sat she basically ate the front floatie and same when she swam.
We stuck it on my 2.5yr old son (haha) and it was still waaay tooo long on him!!! But the idea is great.
Personally I got 2 of the puddle jumper basic life jackets and they are better!!!! Wish I could return this one.
I got the small for my 30lb 3 yr old. She will be able to wear it the entire Summer. ( a little big, but does not hinder its effectiveness) It took her a while to figure out this was going to keep her aflot. But loved it and was effective after that! Happy customer here.
This suit is fantastic I imported it from the states hoping it would fit my large 1yr old girl. IT DOSEN'T very large. It fits my 2 1/2 month old daughter perfectly she is quite tall and of average build now (was chunky as a baby) It will probally fit her for a few years as has adjustment ties on either side by the legs. I took her swimming today and she loves it. I purchased it as I will be off to spain soon, I will be able to relax knowing she will be wearing it. IF ANY ONE KNOWS WHERE TO GET A SIZE SMALLER PLEASE LET ME KNOW.
My 19-month old daughter swam like a fish in this suit... I purchased one to take on vacation with us and I will buy a few more for the upcoming summer season!!!
She was able to keep afloat and move around, I do have to admit she had previously taken swim classes for six months before we went on vacation, I will keep up on the lessons but the suit is a must especially since we have a pool.'
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Analog-digital Watch - water resistant, sport watch
got this watch on sale at sears for around 25$ i needed an alarm but hate the all digital watches and couldn't afford an all analog watch with alarm and chrono so i got this. casio makes way more analog/digital combo watches that any other maker. this watch is fantastic, large buttons, simple digital functions, you got the time on top then month,day and day of week on bottom. then alarm, stopwatch and a second timezone if you need that on bottom instead of the date..illuminator blue light lights up analog and digital display.. if i could change one thing i would give this watch a glass crystal because after a while you get scratches because its a plastic face. But all you need is to buff it with 'white paste style toothpaste' and it looks brand new again. Some people might have trouble reading the digital display, its not very big. Casio Men's AQ150W-1EV Ana-Digi Chronograph Sport Watch
This watch has performed flawlessly for a few years, all the while being subjected to rugged use in the pool, in the ocean, while running, etc. Watchband broke after about 1.5 years. Mine was truly waterproof for the pool and ocean (no diving). So comfortable I even forgot it was on when getting in shower. Digital readout not easy to read while running, which is inconvenient when you want to use stopwatch function.
As long as your expectations are not too high, you are likely to be happy with this watch. With my old failing eyesight, I wanted something that was easy to read in good and bad light. This fits the bill nicely. Keeps very good time and is pretty easy to set. But there is nothing fancy about it, which is what you should expect for $25. Cheap looking hands with no glow in the dark paint on a plain painted dial. No fancy patterns, relief or anything else. Black dail with gold hash marks.Day, date/timer is tiny, but readable with glasses. Backlight works well on main face and day date window. I wear in shower with no issues. Supposed to be safe for swimming and snorkeling. Band is comfortable. More flexible than past plastic bands. Hope that doesnt mean it falls apart sooner but it might. I looked for a long time for an inexpensive watch that had date that was easy to read and am very happy with this one.
Update Sept 2011: This watch is still going strong two years later. The band fell apart a few months ago but was easily replaced for a few bucks. Plastic "crystal" scratches easily but what do you expect for this price. The case has faded from black to dark gray but not a big issue. Overall, it has held up relatively well and the fact that it is still working makes it a buy in my book
I've had this watch for two weeks. Good looking watch, and only $20.95, but after wearing it while cleaning our patio with a hose, the inside fogged up. Condensation is ringing the crystal. I've had inexpensive running watches last for years, but once moisture gets inside, it's dead. During the two weeks it came in contact with high humidity perspiration, suncreen, water. I expect more from this type of watch.
I bought this watch three months ago specifically for hiking and backpacking, with its high water-reistant rating and rubber wrist band. It has been on two week-long trips, and developed visible moisture under the crystal each time. Exposure was nothing more than sweat or a minor splash from a stream. I would send it back, but its not worth paying shipping to get a partial refund. Very disappointing.
Casio has been pretty good with their reputation for their G-shock timepieces.
I wanted something different.
I'll be going to Navy bootcamp next month and they said that I couldn't wear a watch with the shiny bands. So i was desperately looking for a watch with a black wristband. But the inexpensive ones i've seen so far were full digital watches. Then I came across this watch. It was perfect. I wanted an inexpensive Analog watch with a digital display, Chronograph function, and hopefully a date function as an extra. This watch has it all. I just bought this watch 3 days ago and have been impressed by it. Simple, yet stylish, durable and tough for water activities, and even outdoor activities.
It has a simple Analog display on top then I put the digital time on the bottom because I wanted it in the 24 hour format so I could train myself reading military time. (e.g. 1pm - 1300, 2pm - 1400). This watch even has a chronograph that could help me time my run!
In general, this watch is very good for its price, which is just a fraction of a high-end wristwatch that almost has the same features elsewhere!
The band is really comfortable and soft and not irritating to my wrist at all. The watch itself is so light, it doesn't feel like I'm wearing it. The displays are all easy to read. the digital display though may be a little small but its just what you could expect for the price. I've recently swam with it, ran with it, and no problems so far. I'm surprised that the seawater didn't do any rust damage on the screws.
I would say this would be a good watch for any person with an active lifestyle, and it's even great for everyday wear.
This little watch has all the features of a watch costing two to three times what it costs.
It is easy to set the various features -- a stop watch, a timer, calendar, alarm and digital time. It was exactly what I wanted in a sport watch. The picture of the watch does not do it justice as I find the actual watch better looking. The only drawback is that the digital window is a little small which makes it hard to read the numbers. However, the backlight does a lot to improve legibility. In all, you can't go wrong with this watch considering the reasonable price.
The best recommendation I can make about this watch is that I have purchased three of them. I had one for five years and the battery just failed this week. I did not replace the battery because the watchband broke a couple of years ago and I was using this watch as a backup for its replacement, which was the same type of Casio watch. The second one was working fine, but I left it behind at the gym in a locker, and it disappeared. When I went looking for a replacement, I did spend some time browsing watches, but could not find one that fit my requirements: an analog face (I prefer this for my watches) with an alarm and a stopwatch. It does have a small digital display for the stopwatch, alarm, date, and a second time setting, which is fine. The watch itself has a ruggedly handsome appearance. Some might find the black display to be challenging to read, but it's fine for me. The watch is comfortable and lightweight. Some watches I tried at the store were heavy, which reinforced for me the comfortable feeling of this watch. - Fitness Watches - Water Resistant - Analog-digital Watch - Sport Watch'
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Manual Pencil Sharpeners - pencil sharpener, manual pencil sharpeners
After having enough of battery-eating weak electric models, we decided to do it "old school." I have fond memories of those sturdy, satisfying wall-mounted manual pencil sharpeners from elementary school. This model would be decent if it were manufactured properly...(but isn't that true of sooooo many things?) Okay, here's my assessment: Either one of the steel receptacle centering fins was honed at an incorrect angle or one of the twin barrel cutters was set at the wrong angle, or both.
When you were in grade school did you ever place way too much downward angular pressure on your pencil as you were sharpening it? If you ever did, then you probably also remember returning to your desk and discovering half the "lead" still covered by the wood barrel of the pencil. Employing a writing instrument prepared in such a way is like scraping and scratching with a pointy stick, rather than the smooth unfettered flow of freshly revealed graphite. I swear, what happened to product testing or, for that matter, product quality?
Fast forward to present day: No, I did not place too much angular pressure on the barrel of my present-day pencil...the afore-described result was from gingerly CENTERING the pencil in the sharpener before turning the crank. (I think I got the "centering" thing down to a science after 12 years of daily manual pencil sharpening.) And, yes, I tried many, many pencils to make sure it wasn't just a poorly manufactured pencil. I wanted soooo badly for this product to work, but it just wasn't to be :-(
It's shocking. And yet, disturbingly, I *somehow* have gradually come to expect such disappointment from my purchases over the past couple of decades.
I would pay *4* times as much money for a 100% American-made quality product...if I could *find* a 100% American-made quality product. Come on America, let's get on (or in this case, off) the "stick" and get the "lead" out! X-Acto Model KS Table- or Wall-Mount Pencil Sharpener (1031)
A great sharpener, I have two girls in my house (ages 7 and 13) and they have broke nearly a dozen plastic and various electric models. This sharpener is very heavy duty and solidly built. I think it would stand up to a class room full of kids. I plan on buying one for my shop.
I've decided to replace this pencil sharpener because it has been destroying too many pencils. I have the same problem so many reviewers have had - namely it tends to sharpen only one side of the pencil when it doesn't chew right through them. In the end, I find myself having to remove the wood on the unsharpened side by hand, all too often breaking the lead in the process. We'd have -much- better luck with a cheap 50 cent sharpener, or a kitchen knife, or a machete...blender...
I thought this was going to be a good sharpener, but it doesnt matter what pencil I use, it just does not sharpen well at all. I'm about to pitch it in the trash. Only one side of the pencil sharpens while the wood remains on the other half, making it impossible to write with. It's junk.
As usual X-Acto has somehow managed to de-evolve the pencil sharpener. My first experience with X-Acto was with a simple electric sharpener. The quick convenience I had taken for granted with my Boston 19 was not possible with my new five-minute-per-pencil X-Acto. My next experience was with the $130 + "heavy duty" X-Acto in the department center in my school. Well before the end of the year it was simply an impressive looking paper weight. Finally, this rotary model was installed in my classroom. Basically, it ate every pencil at an impossible-to-write with angle. I tried out three others in neighboring classrooms. I did not have the same problem; rather, the others were worse: noisy, grinding pencil crushers that no student would use. My only option is to stock up on the small plastic manual sharpeners that frequently break but at least manage to sharpen a couple of pencils before they bite the dust. That's much more than I can say for my X-Actos.
Finding a pencil sharpener in my home was impossible. We have/had dozens of the small plastic hand held sharpeners come and go. Never to be found when I actually needed one. So I decided that mounting a hand-cranked sharpener to a fixed point would solve one of my life's many problems. I always welcome a quick easy way to eliminate a chronic hassle.
Anyway, I wanted the same model that I commonly found in my grammar school classrooms. My parents also had one mounted in their garage while I was a kid. Those things were built like Army tanks. Never seemed to wear out. Unfortunately, it appears the quality of that model, while still available, is now lacking in quality.
So after searching Amazon, it would seem this X-acto model is the best hand-cranked sharpener available. Easily mounts to any wooden surface with the included wood screws. Performs great. After I mounted it, I grabbed 10-12 new pencils and "got crankin". Each pencil was quickly sharpened to a perfect point. Quality seems solid with the all steel construction. No downsides could be found in this product. On top of being a well-regarded product, its also one of the cheaper models on the market. Best of both worlds. - School Supplies - Pencil Sharpener - Manual Pencil Sharpeners - Old School'
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Quickbooks Pro 2011 - intuit, money management
This accounting is miles ahead for Quick Books and costs less.
I have used Peachtree since the early 80's in the more complicated versions but when I retired my computer had Quick Books so I used it. It was OK, but when I bought a new computer that didn't have Quick Books I went back to the home version of Peachtree and I'm glad I did!!! Peachtree By Sage First Accounting 2010
This turned out to be a shot in the dark at first. I needed something for my start up business to keep a general ledger. This had enough info to get me started...have to see where to go from here. For the what I paid it was well worth it! - Financial Software - Finance - Money Management - Intuit'
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Multifunction Printer - canon, all in one printer
Exactly what I needed
I just needed this simple USB cable to connect my printer to my MAC. The local office stores were ridiculous in their pricing so I checked on Amazon.com. As usual I received GREAT PRICE, GREAT SERVICE, AND A GREAT PRODUCT. Thanks Amazon. For Canon Pixma USB 2.0 Printer Cable Cord A-B NEW 6'
We ordered this just in case the Canon Printer we bought did not work on the "wireless" system. The printer works fine on the wireless so we have not had to use this cable yet. I can only speak to the delivery of the item. Fast..just as described.
It was recommended by Amazon that I purchase this USB cable with the Canon PIXMA MP495 Wireless Inkjet Photo All-In-One printer. However, I'm not sure why I needed it, since one (about 3') already comes in the printer box. I'm sure that it works well, but I havent had cause to use it.
I priced this cable at Best Buy and it was $26.00. Frankly, the printer without cartridges isn't worth that. Someone suggested searching on-line. Went to Amazon and there it was at $0.75. yes, $0.75 PLUS shipping at $1.85-$2.60 and after 3 days shipping time I received my cable. New, perfect condition, no muss and fuss. What is it about bargains that is hard to comprehend? The vendor stayed in touch with me about shipping and everything about the experience and product was as reported. The reviews were helpful. I am still amazed...now I have a photo paper printer working after 13 months in a box.
This product came neatly packaged and looked completly brand new. I havn't had any problems at all. The cord seems to be a perfect length not too long and not too short. overall I have nothing bad to say about this product. - Usb Cable - Canon - Pixma Ip4200 - All In One Printer'
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Random Orbit Sander - tools, random-orbit sanders
I used one of these sanders to remove heavy textured paint from the plaster walls of my 1890's Victorian in Maryland. This involved sanding every inch of a 3000 square foot house with heavy grit (60 grit) paper over a three month period. I estimate that I ran this unit for over 30 hours a week for the entire three months without a break. I still have it and it works fine.
The unit has a couple of problems that I noted over time:
1. The dust collector is cloth over a steel spring that tears where the cloth meets the hard plastic base of the dust collection bag.
2. The pad that accepts the hook-and-loop paper sometimes tears when removing the paper. This is easily replaced, but isn't cheap to do.
3. While the dust collector works pretty well (until it tears, that is), it is small and you have to stop work often to empty it. This is not a problem with the small jobs I use it on now, but it was annoying when I was sanding the walls.
4. Paper is costly and you will have to be careful of which brand you buy. There are some sanders with just 4 dust collection holes, while this one has I think 8, so you need to buy the paper that is right for the sander. They do sell it in 25 sheet packs, which cuts down on the cost. We used about 10 such packs, each costing about $10 to $15 at the big box store near us.
One final bit of advise: Always wear a resperator or face mask when sanding paint. Safety glasses are a must too. DEWALT D26451K 3 Amp 5-Inch Random Orbit Sander with Cloth Dust Bag
before this unit, I had an off-brand $30 4" square pad sander that I used to polish the intake manifold on my car. It burned out after probably less than 40 hours of use.
I bought this sander as a replacement when I bought a house and decided to refinish the wood floors. I rented a drum sander to remove the bulk of the old finish, but I had to trace around the edge of all the rooms to remove the material. I bought this sander for $69 at Lowes and about 20 sheets of 40 grit paper, and this little sucker hummed away for hours and knocked out all the excess finish.
After about a week of walking over the exposed wood, painting walls, and moving scaffolding, I had to do a once-over on the wood to clean it up. I hit the whole floor (about 500 sq. ft.) with 60 grit, then did it again with 100 grit. This little sander cleaned it up beautifully, and I was surprised that it ran under heavy cyclic loading for about 5 hours without a hiccup. My knees didn't do as well.
I'm glad I bought it and expect that it will withstand many more hours of continued abuse.
Edit 7/15/2011: So I've owned this sander since October of 2006, and I'm happy to say that it has had years of heavy use now. I just refinished my kitchen floor with it! I used a vacuum adapter to connect it to my shop vac as I was reluctant to pull a drum sander into the small space. Kitchen is about 150 ft^2, it did wonderfully well, and I minimized the dust with the shop vac attachment. Very happy with this sander.
I love this sander. Next to my Bosch "Sawz-all" this is my favorite power tool. I have used it on prejects that range from sanding the body work on my race bike to sanding the plaster walls in our 1903 Craftsman house to sanding woodworking projects. This sander is built to last and can be used as hard as you want. The only comments I do have is 1) you need to be careful when remmoving the sandpaper from the hook and loop disc, it is best to pull the sandpaper off in a direction that is parallel to the surface of the pad, basically pulling the sandpaper back over itself. If you pull it off perpendicular to the surface of the pad, the hook and loop pad tends to pull apart. 2) The hook and loop pad tends to get chewed up if you are not careful about replacing worn sandpaper. But that said, after almost three years of hard use mine is still on it's first hook and loop pad and is now more like a 4.5inch sander than a 5inch sander.....time to replace it.
Yeah, this is the definately sander to own (or equivalently the PC brand, which is also good).
Aside from the effectiveness of the machine itself as a sander, I truly appreciate the instant ease of changing the sanding discs. Too many times I've changed from 60 grit to 100 grit to 180 grit and then need to go back to the 100 or 60 again. Presto chango! Just remove the current disc and use the old 100 disc again.
This sander is not wasteful like the quarter sheet sanders, where you only get one use from the paper, these sanding discs can be used and reused many, many times and always stay tight on the sander. The discs do not tear or crease when you remove them, there's no sticky mess or clamping gymnastics, the hook and loop attach lets you change and rechange discs instantly with ease-ease-ease. This aspect alone has revised my entire philosophy of machine sanding.
And those discs do last forever. So maybe they cost a bit more up front but you can save them and get every bit of use out of them by reusing and reusing and reusing them until they are totally depleted. Definately worth the extra cost which can also be moderated by buying in bulk from a discount supplier. I keep my used discs in a 5 1/4 floppy disk strorage box, fits perfectly and prevents curling.
One criticism of the unit though, the "rubber" base pad does not last forever, mine just plain disintergrated after about four years and I had to replace it for about $20. But even though I grumbled about that I'm still very keen on this sander.
Also, I have the older model with the plastic dust collector which I think was better than the cloth bag.
In short, its the best, and most cost effective, sanding investment I ever made and I should have bought one of these years before.
I had the opportunity to use one of these sanders on a recent remodel job. I was surprised at how well the dustless bag actually collected sanded material. The random orbit works well on any grain pattern and the hookless sandpaper is very easy to use and convenient.
When I saw the price for one on Amazon, I was blown away. I ordered it immediately. It won't replace the need for a heavy-duty belt sander, but for finishing work this is one fine piece of equipment. I'll be using it a lot when I refinish our wood floors this summer. - Random-orbit Sanders - Sander - Dewalt - Tools'
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Bruce Springsteen
As a Springsteen junkie (more than 100 shows under my belt starting with No Nukes in 1979) I buy lots of these books. Most I scan through and never get to reading all the way through. Even as one who would find what Springsteen eats for breakfast entertaining, I get bored. Not the case with Big Man! I read it in one day. It is truly enjoyable, funny and well written. Clarence's tales are so convincing, I found myself googling Englebert Humperdinck to see if he was still alive! As a black man, that on a given night may perform in front of 50,000 white people and on a good night maybe a dozen black people, he did not set out to prove anything. (Damon Wayons, a friend of Don Reo's comments at his first show that Bruce must be a Sopranos fan since he just spotted Stevie Van Zandt backstage!) Clarence is immensely talented, incredibly likable and really funny. And, he gets 50,000 white people pay money to see him! His stories come off as honest and straight forward. Clarence doesn't offer inside gossip on Bruce and the other band members; he doesn't have to; his stories are more than enough entertainment. There are really great photos that you don't want to miss, so don't opt for the Kindle version. As larger than life as Springsteen is, The Big Man never plays second fiddle. He doesn't do this with ego, but with talent, presence, likeability and a smile that can light up a stadium.
Don Reo's additions are really amusing. He is obviously a very successful man in his on right, and surely has met and hung out with many a celebrity, but offers his observations from a very humble perspective. He gets as excited by the private planes with the band, the backstage access, the inside scoop as any die hard fan would. In many cases he is the fly on the wall that we would all like to be. His perspective on Clarence is that of an old dear friend; by no means a ghost writer.
This book is a really good read, that even a less than obsessed fan could enjoy. I hope Clarence's new knees keep him pain free and performing for many years to come. Springsteen without the Big Man would never be the same! Big Man: Real Life & Tall Tales
It says in the beginning of the book that this is not a standard memoir, which is certainly true. I can't really think of an appropriate comparison because I don't think I've ever read anything like it before. It's a peculiar and utterly unique mix of Clarence's memoir and half-truths (the "Legend" sections tell you up front, basically, that they are compilations of true things that happened but in different orders/settings and half truths that have been embellished for fun). On top of that, it's told in rotating first-person narratives so you have Clarence's voice telling you what happened and then sometimes you have the co-writer basically filling in the blanks. Honestly, it's a strange combination of factors.
That said, I couldn't put it down. The writing is excellent, the storytelling is a blast, it moves incredibly quickly, and you do learn a ton about Bruce and E Street (at least I did, but I'm not a complete Bruce nut...just a regular fan who could not tell you the last time he played any specific song live).
More than anything, this book seems to be about conveying a feeling, as in giving you the feeling that you are basically hanging out with Clarence while he tells you many things about his own past (childhood, wanting to be a football player, following music to Bruce, etc etc) to his hopes and dreams and fears. When you look at this way, you end up with a much better sense of Clarence as a person than you would have with "I was born in X. Then I did X. Then I did X." type of standard memoir. As Bruce says in the Foreword: "This book gets as close to the "truth" about Clarence Clemons as I can imagine. Mere facts will never plumb the mysteries of the Big Man."
I applaud Clarence for having the courage and desire to take a really different route in the book world, one that is far more creative, personal, unqiue, strange, and, for me at least, leaves me with a much longer-lasting impression of the man himself than I have gotten from other musician/celeb memoirs I can think of. I'm sure it would have been a lot easier for him to just tell a ghostwriter stuff about his life and do a standard thing. This feels nothing like that...it comes from the heart and clearly Clarence and Don have a relationship far deeper than a celeb and ghostwriter.
Like the Big Man, it's one of a kind. Bravo.
As an ardent Bruce fan, I so wanted to love this book. And, in fact, there are lots of interesting, behind the scenes anecdotes and tidbits about the E Street Band. What gets in the way is Clarence's incredible ego -- he's more successful, achieved more wealth, slept with more women, knows more celebrities than you ever will. And he's spritual too. Sonny Rollins and Pharoah Sanders (two vastly superior saxmen) could teach him a lesson in humility and sprituality.
And the "tall tales" really serve no purpose.
The book is an entertaining read, but I actually liked Clarence less after I read the book. Here's hoping Bruce's pending autobiography is a more substanial book.
Addendum: Today's NY Times has a scathing review of Big Man, calling it "a miserable book".
I've always been a big fan of Clarence, Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band. Come on everyone who's buying the book are. I was excited to read Clarence's book. There is absolutely no question in reading this book that The Big Man is a very intelligent and witty guy. The book is really three books in one. The first book is written by Clarence about Clarence, his life and experiences. The second book is written by Clarence and is partially true and partially fiction. The third is written by the co-author, Clarence's good friend (groupie?) Don Rio. All three books are mixed together. This seems to work for a while and then it stops working quite abruptly.
Here are the problems as I see them: Problem number one is the part of the book that is written by the co-author. I didn't know who Don Rio was, but I sure do now. The thing is, this is a book about Clarence Clemons. Let Mr. Reo write his own book! It's not that I don't care about Mr. Reo, just not in this book. He also goes on and on about how wonderful Clarence is, oh yes, on and on. We already knew this or we probably wouldn't be reading the book. Mind you this is a full third of the book! I becomes quite painful and not just a little annoying. If you do purchase the book, a word of advise, skip the chapters that start with, "Don." The second problem is the "Tall Tales." They are amusing at first and then the name dropping really gets on your nerves and it's not just people in the music business, really odd references and they seem to get longer and longer and your mind starts to wander and zzzzzzzzzzzzzz. The biggest problem with the book is the part that Clarence wrote about his experiences. It's too short. We don't really learn much about him at all. He tells us very little about his childhood. He tells us very little about his relationships or his children. And come on, most of us want to know about his history with Bruce and the E Street band. We get very little of this. I'm not even certain that he mentions everybody by name. Maybe I'm wrong, but there's precious little about the band. What he does tell us about all this stuff just made the situation worse because it was like the first bite of a cookie, but you get no more!
This guy could have written a brilliant autobiography. He really does have a way with words. I certainly don't think he needed help doing so by using a co-author. Or, if he wanted to, he could have written a work of fiction. Maybe he can put out another book called "Big Man, Take 2," and tell us all the things we had hoped to learn about him in this book. I'm really, really disappointed, but I still love the Big Man! See you 11/18!'
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Tag Heuer - dress watches, grand carrera
I just received the TAG Heuer Men's Grand Carrera Calibre 6 as a birthday gift. I have to tell you that as a long time fan of the TAG brand, i am very impressed with this watch. This is a good alternative to the "sport" heavy TAG watch with stopwatch functionality. The glass cover seems huge and highlights some great three-dimensional design features on the face of the watch. I am also a fan of the "second-hand" rotating disc. It is definitely different than a simple second hand, and adds a real stylistic element to the watch that catches people's eyes. I've been wearing TAG watches for 22 years now and this is an excellent watch that can be used both as a casual watch and a dressy/classy accessory.
Additionally, the Calibre 6 is slightly lighter (with a smaller face) than the Calibre 8. It is also several hundred dollars less expensive. So, if you're looking to get into the Grand Carerra collection, than this is the watch for you. TAG Heuer Men's WAV511A.BA0900 Grand Carrera Automatic Calibre 6 RS Watch
Purchased this watch directly from Amazon, so I felt good about the integrity and the warranty of the product. Item arrived in a genuine Tag Heuer box with orignal papers and cards. The watch has a classic refinement and beauty that wears well for multiple occasions. The rotating disc certainly adds a distinctive syle that separates it from others. I get compliments on this piece.
So far, the watch has performed extremely well. Haven't had any loss or gain in time. It has been right on the money as a COSC certified watch should be. The power reserve is stated at 42 hours and falls close to this. Very pleased with this purchase.
The whole experience has been great until I saw the watch -- the dial color is BLACK! If I knew it is black I would have ordered the white one (WAV511B.BA0900). Don't get me wrong, black dial doesn't look bad. But it is just that when you spend this much money on the watch you do expect it to be perfect. I did some research on the internet after I received the watch and didn't find a blue dial version of this model. I guess I will have to return it and order the white one instead. I will give a follow up review about the returning process.
I bought this exact same watch at Ben Bridge Jewelers for $3700.00. Luckily, I had enough sense to search Amazon before picking up the watch from Ben Bridge. I saved $1,500 by buying through Amazon. It can only be sized by a retailer of Tag's or Rolex, so call around before taking it to your local lower end jewelry store.
I was excited when the Tag watch is delivered via UPS & received. This is my first Tag watch and first purchase from Amazon. I was promoting this to my friend's.
Unfortunately, the watch is the stolen from the checked in baggage on it's way back from Cleveland to Singapore. The airline is pushing the responsibility of this theft matter and TSA is not responsive to claim of lost item.
I am very sad to lost this valuable watch due to act of theft. I hope Amazon can help me to claim from TSA.
A sad buyer,
Ho Howe Tian
Singapore
This was my first luxury watch purchase after doing tons of research.
Likes:
-timeless design/face, attention to detail on the dial, black face makes the hands and markers really punchy
-rotating disc is unique
-exposed back for the gears is a nice touch
-not too thick, keeps it from getting caught in tighter fitting dress shirts
-holds value well apparently, I bought it for $2,100 on amazon in Dec 2009, now its $2,600
Dislikes:
-low power reserve (i think the longest that its gone was about 1.5 days)
-dropped a few times from my dressor (one day the hands fell off...) - although Amazon had free repairs at a certified jeweler and they recalibrated the watch too so its even more accurate
Overall, great starter watch. Would give it 5 stars, if not for the durability...I would expect something a little more durable for $2-3k watch. - Tag Heuer - Grand Carrera - Dress Watches - Tag Watch'
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Cordless Screwdriver - makita 2012nb, makita
I am a professional remodeler and in the past five years I have burnt out three Delta planers. Twice, the feed rollers gave up and the last one apparently suffered a major internal failure. I have had the Makita now for two months and it has been flawless as I would expect. We plane some tough stuff like Ipe so we definitely give these things a workout. If it is still flawless in a year, I will give it a fifth star. I appreciate the ergonomics of this well, thought out machine. I am glad that Makita has eliminated a cutterhead lock. I personally couldn't care less about "snipe", of which this machine creates very little. We plane long and then cut to size on the miter saw. Don't you? I do have one question ..., is there any reason why I can't buy replacement blades online?
Okay, so I'm a year late, this is one VERY good planer! It continues to perform like new, with only blade changes. I have it hooked up in my shop and have run hundreds of feet of maple, pine, poplar, Ipe, oak, even plywood and MDF. It just does its thing. Very uneventful, I like that. That's what I pay for. The only downside is that it makes justifying a 15" Powermatic planer difficult!
So here were are now, its 2004 and the little bugger just keeps going! I may never get that new planer. What can I say, after, I don't know, five or six thousand feet of various hardwoods, no changes to date! See you next year!
What can I say? Late again! So here we are almost eight years later and the little SOB just keeps running! New blades, vacuum occasionally, lube the posts if I think of it and it just keeps going. If it ever dies, I'll let you know! Makita 2012NB 12-Inch Planer with Interna-Lok Automated Head Clamp
I received my new Makita 2012B Portable Planer for Christmas. I had researched all the available models and felt that the Makita had the edge on paper. Putting it to the reality check test, a friend and I ran over 100 board feet of quartersawn white oak through the planer, then finished up by using the system to shave down a walnut inlay in ash. I was really impressed by the performance! No snipe, very smooth surfaces, quiet operation, and ease of use were at the top of my list of favorable impressions. We especially liked the depth stop option for reproducibly machining multiple boards to the same thickness. Too early to tell how the planer will hold up with time. I will write a follow-up after a year of use. The only objection I have to the tool is that for the price, Makita should include the dust hood. It is essential and has to be ordered separately from Makita.
I spent a lot of time looking at portable planers. They all had something I liked and didn't. The Makita 2012NB had everything I was looking for. Lower the cutting head down until the depth pin moves, set the dial indicator to zero, then lower the cutting head to the depth you want. Easy, fast, accurate and quiet. It has an adjustable rod for making plaining more than one board to the same thickness and can be set to any thickness you want. The interna-lock head keeps snipe to a minimum and I'm happy not to have to mess with a head lock. It seems to be constructed to last a long time but I haven't used it long enough to say for certain yet. It is more expensive but I wouldn't hesitate to buy it again. The only complaint I have is for the price why didn't Makita include dust shut with dust collector connection?
This planer is excellent, giving both reliable service with new features. No cutterhead lock to worry about, higher RPM than the old planer (which was still great), and beefed up to 15amp. The Makita has on-board storage, for tools, generous infeed & outfeed trays, and is truly lighter than the rest. Powerful and extremely smooth finishes. Popular Woodworking lists it as snipe equal to that of a floor model, best of the benchtops. I agree!
Much like other reviewers, I have a small shop and make personal furniture and cabinetry. I too agonized over the purchase of a planer. The obvious dilemma is between a floor model 15" and a portable 12". The Makita is more costly than most of the portables, but less than half of the stationary 15" models.After reading of the trouble others have had with the Delta (and my own negative experiences with Delta) I decided to spring the extra bucks for the Makita quality.Great decision. This planer performs flawlessly. As long as you keep each pass shallow, snipe is of no concern, and I also agree that you have to cut the ends off the stock anyway. Snipe won't mean a thing if you have a board end check on you after you have completed a project.I too reserve the other 5th star for longevity, as I have only had the planer for several months. As for the dust hood-I plan to save myself the money and just make my own. Any true woodworker can handle the fabrication necessary for a rectangular plenum with a round outlet-it's held on by a couple of thumb screws. I say you can't beat this planer.
I recently read an article in one of the Popular woodworking comparing many of the 12" bench top planers. I had my heart set on a Delta, since my experience so far had been good. Boy did that article change my mind in a hurry. They has only good things to say about this planer. The only downside was the price. They said that they loved the planer, just couldn't justify the price. Well, I could. I'm sick of getting exacty what you pay for. I'm willing to spend a little more and get top quality. If you are too, this is the planer for you. Got it (from the tool-crib BTW) on Sat and spent the next day planing some 4/4 red oak. Beautiful finish !! A fine sanding is all that's required. Also, the stop remembers what your last, final, thick- ness was, which came in handy as I needed another 3/4 board and had already put the planer away. Snipe was a minimum, maybe 2-3 inches on the feed end and, as long as you're careful, none on the back end. Take some advice, get yourself a nice pair or dial calipers. I got a 6" Starrett from the tool crib here and it, in conjunction with the planer will give you the _exact_ thickness that you need. I'm sick of going to the lumber yard and ordering 1/2", and some are a little strong of 1/2" and some a little shy and none of your dados are fit like the test cut did. Another cool feature is the thickness dial on the crank. Using the calipers, you find that you need another 1/32" off the side. Set the 1/32" mark on the thickness dial, turn the crank until the '0' matches up with the mark and it takes off the required amount, no more, no less. - Planer - Planers - Makita - Makita 2012nb'
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Cordless Screwdriver - makita 2012nb, makita planers Cordless Screwdriver - makita 2012nb, makita
Xbox 360 - battery, battery pack
DO NOT BUY THESE. These are old stock and the batteries are completely dead and will not hold a charge. The only reason they have so many good reviews is because they date back to 2006 when they were actually new stock. Batteries cannot last 4 years without being charged/discharged. Repeat do not buy! Xbox 360 Rechargeable Controller Battery Pack Black
Bought two of the blue ones. Unboxed 'em, and didn't have a chance to use them. Threw out the packaging.
Then tried them. They don't hold any charge; the controller immediately powers off as soon as it's unplugged.
They're worse than no battery at all, mainly since I paid for these, and could have saved the money. What the hell?
I ordered a blue battery and it was totally defective. I got a replacement from amazon and the replacement was defective too!!!
Then I ordered another replacement and guess what happened?
Amazon told me that all of the blue batteries are broken and they will give me a refund instead of a third replacement!!! I don't know why they sell them if they are all the same.?! To keep hold on some money for a while?
I bought this so I could cut down on wasting batteries. However, to my dismay it does not work. I plugged it in with my charger cable and it says it's fully charged. If I unplug it, my controller shuts off. It can't hold any charge at all. I read some other reviews and saw that multiple people had the same problem. I would say it's best to just avoid this product.
I'm not one to do many reviews, but I felt I needed to write one for this product.
The batteries themselves work fine with constant use. Eventually, they won't hold a charge as well and sooner or later will no longer hold a charge. In the 3 years I've had my Xbox 360, I've gone through 3 of these batteries. The first one took about a year a half to die. The second one (for an additional controller I had) took about the same time. The third one I bought died in about 9 months since I purchased it. What gives?
They refuse to hold a charge! The play and charge kit, as well as the quick charge kit, will immediately note that the batteries are fully charged when you plug them in. They obviously are not.
I have a set of NiMH rechargable batteries that are over 6 years old and they still hold a charge, albeit not as long as they use to.
I understand that Microsoft states the need for replacing these batteries over time... However, why waste the[...]on these when you can buy a set of four really awesome Energizer NiMH rechargable batteries for the same price and can be used on TWO controllers?
the 360 blue battery pack is elegant and useful. It's rare that you'll find both qualities in a product.
The battery life of these packs can give you many hours of uninterrupted gaming on your Xbox 360.
With the play and charge kit, you can play while it charges. With the Quick Charge station, you can charge a battery in about two hours.
The blue model here looks great with any of the controllers.
The Xbox 360 charger only comes with 1 battery. If you play alot you're going to need an extra. There's nothing worse than being in the middle of a great game and your juice runs out. Get this extra battery!!
I have AA rechrgeable batteries....but i also have 3 kids and they seem to disapear. This was an affordable solution to that. The batteries work wonderful. Get the charge and play deal and for around 25 bucks you have a solution for 2 controllers. - Accessory - Xbox 360 Elite - Battery Pack - Battery'
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